Given the current cold snap throughout the British Isles, wintry weather may claim the Lanzarote Hurdle card at Kempton. Nonetheless, it is one of the only jumps meetings with any prospects of defying frost and going ahead on Saturday, 11 January.
This 2m 5f Class 2 handicap hurdle is one of the big betting races of the month. With no Classic Chase card at Warwick due to freezing temperatures, the Kempton Park action could have the stage more or less to itself.
The Sunbury-on-Thames venue has the advantage of being close to Greater London. That didn’t help Sandown survive last weekend, though, but All-Weather racing has continued at Kempton in midweek.
With a field of 20 runners (plus three reserves), horse racing betting sites have plenty of contenders gunning for Lanzarote glory. These include two who hit the frame in this very race 12 months ago.
As ever, there are other form lines for both traders and our horse racing experts to consider. Their in-depth analysis of the Kempton feature follows with a concluding shortlist.
Lanzarote Hurdle 2025 Preview
Profile-wise, most recent winners had an age of between six and eight, and an official rating from the high 120s to the mid 130s. That seemingly rules out both last year’s third and fourth Impose Toi and Good Luck Charm, then.
The former carries joint-topweight for Nicky Henderson, JP McManus and James Bowen after a successful reappearance at Newbury. Impose Toi made costly mistakes at the final flight on his last two starts last term. He also has 7lb more on his back in this renewal than 12 months ago.
Anthony Honeyball mare Good Luck Charm also returned to action with victory around Sandown. She is 3lb higher than when hitting the frame in the Lanzarote Hurdle of 2024, but has Chad Bament on board taking 10lb off with his claim.
If either end of the handicap doesn’t provide the answer, then another Newbury winner in Jipcot bids to follow-up for Jonjo O’Neill and Kielan Woods. He has an 8lb hike for his ready success at one of the festive fixtures. Jipcot is the right age, still unexposed over this sort of trip and has a rating within the profile band.
Key Form Looks Like Merseyside Race
Topweight? No problem 👊
Steel Ally is relentless from the front as he extends the fine run of trainer @SammyTRacing, who has saddled four winners from his last six runners.@haydockraces | @D_Johnston01 pic.twitter.com/YPvK04BYVg
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) November 23, 2024
Haydock, rather than Newbury or Kempton, might provide the key piece of form for this edition of the Lanzarote Hurdle, though. Five runners that chased home Steel Ally over 2m 3f all shaped on Merseyside as though stepping up in trip might suit them.
Best of those on the day was Beat The Bat, a lightly-raced type from the Harry Fry stable. Less than a length separated him from re-opposing third and fourth Knight Of Allen and Kamsinas. The latter is one of three course and distance winners in the line-up, and the pick of the Fergal O’Brien pair.
Kamsinas only has a 2lb nudge from the assessor, whereas Beat The Bat and Jane Williams’ five-year-old Knight Of Allen carry 3lb more on their backs. It brings all three even closer together, but the former is 1lb better off and that could prove key.
Off a mark of 137, Kamsinas is above the ideal ratings band, but his two previous wins also read well. He was a length too good for subsequent Greatwood Hurdle second and Ladbroke Hurdle third Be Aware over course and distance. Kamsinas’ Aintree success this autumn isn’t too shabby either with the runner-up and third home both scoring since.
Skelton Runs Three in Lanzarote Hurdle 2025
The Dan Skelton stable has won the last two editions of the race. He runs three this time around and, although both veteran West To The Bridge and Santos Blue aren’t easy to make cases for, Punta Del Este came fifth at Haydock.
A close third when previously squeezed out on the rail around Carlisle on reappearance, the six-year-old races off an unchanged mark of 134 from Merseyside. Stable conditional Tristan Durrell now takes the ride and 3lb off with his claim.
That puts Punta Del Este some 5lb or 6lb better off with Beat The Bat, Knight Of Allen and Kamsinas. It brings him right into the mix for Lanzarote Hurdle honours and a bid to maintain the yard’s excellent recent record in it.
The sixth from Haydock, Evan Williams veteran Dans Le Vent also tackles these horses again over further. Now a 12-year-old like West To The Bridge, it’s hard to see him finding further improvement.
Cheltenham Pair Clash Again at Kempton
One further form line to note here is the November Meeting’s 2m 5f conditional jockeys’ handicap hurdle from Cheltenham. Unlucky third home Plaisir Des Flos (also representing O’Brien) and Harry Derham’s Il Va De Soi face each other again. The former was short of room when trying for a run up the stands rail that day.
Plaisir Des Flos has since filled the same spot at Bangor over further behind subsequent Cheltenham New Year’s Day staying handicap winner Strackan. There could be a pot in him and Jack Hogan again rides taking 3lb off.
It is a question of whether horses like Plaisir Des Flos and Il Va De Soi towards the foot of the handicap are good enough for a Lanzarote Hurdle. Both look well-weighted, but fall short of making the ratings profile.
Il Va De Soi couldn’t seem to go the pace at Cheltenham, so the tighter turns and easier track at Kempton races won’t necessarily suit the seven-year-old. Henderson, meanwhile, also runs Doddiethegreat and Aston Martini.
There are stamina doubts about the latter, while the former pulled-up here over course and distance on Boxing Day. Derham also has Dargiannini in the contest with stable jockey Paul O’Brien aboard him and Harry Cobden taking a notable outside ride on Il Va De Soi.
Lanzarote Hurdle 2025 Verdict
The one who caught the eye closing at the finish over 2m 3f at Haydock was KAMSINAS, who is marginally better off at the weights with Beat The Bat and Knight Of Allen. Both of those lightly-raced types are still open to improvement, though. Topweight Impose Toi has half-a-stone more to carry than when third 12 months ago, meanwhile.
Skelton claiming weight off the back of Punta Del Este also looks significant as it brings him bang into contention with his re-opposing Merseyside rivals. Jipcot commands respect if able to follow-up on an impressive Newbury win. At bigger odds, Plaisir Des Flos, a stablemate of the selection, might confirm Cheltenham form with Il Va De Soi.
