Wednesday 15 October 2025

This looks a typically trappy Kempton staying handicap, but a closer look suggests a clash between the in-form Fair Dinkum, the unexposed improver Warrior King, and the course-proven Hedonista.

Race Setup

Two miles around Kempton’s inner circuit places the emphasis on rhythm and track craft rather than brute stamina. Pace should be honest rather than fierce. Home And Dry from stall 1 is likely to roll forward under Robert Havlin, with Fair Dinkum close up. The rest – notably Warrior King, Gemmari, and Hedonista – tend to stalk and strike late. Draw bias is minimal over this trip, but control of the tempo can still matter.

Leading Contenders

Warrior King (Harry Charlton) – A lightly raced Saxon Warrior gelding who shaped with plenty of promise when second over 1m6f here last time. That effort produced an RPR of 73 and hinted he’ll stay the full two miles. He moves through his races smoothly, and there’s likely more to come with experience. If he settles early, he should finish strongly.

Fair Dinkum (Jeremy Scott) – Arrives in terrific heart after back-to-back turf wins at Bath and Salisbury. He’s 6lb higher now and back on the All-Weather, but he has two AW wins to his name and a solid overall profile at staying trips. The main question is whether his current turf form transfers to Polytrack under a bigger weight.

Hedonista (Bernard Llewellyn) – A former C&D winner who’s been gradually finding her feet again. She finished runner-up over 1m6½f at Wolverhampton last time and now returns to the scene of her best work. Her mark is workable and she tends to travel kindly, which counts for plenty at Kempton.

Gemmari (Richard Hannon) – Absent since March but progressive prior to that with two Tapeta wins over 12f. The pedigree screams stamina – his dam was a Group 3 winner over 1m6f – so the step up to two miles is a natural experiment. Fitness is the question after 214 days off, but he’s not one to rule out lightly.

Home And Dry (Thomas Faulkner) – A 2m winner on the AW in 2023 and capable of dictating the pace here. His recent record is patchy and he’s been off 132 days, yet from stall 1 with Havlin up, he could get the run of the race if left alone.

Haliphon (Ian Williams) – An old professional who’s run respectably on turf this year but remains winless in 13 AW starts. His honesty is not in doubt, but he might lack the extra gear required on Polytrack.

Navalanche (Ed Walker) – Another three-year-old with a similar profile to Warrior King. He shaped well when fifth over 1m6f here last month but still looks a little raw. One for minor money rather than the main prize unless finding marked improvement.

Tactical View

Expect Home And Dry to lead, Fair Dinkum to press, and Hedonista and Warrior King to track the front pair. Kempton often rewards those who can quicken off a solid tempo rather than grinding from behind, so positioning will be key.

Verdict

This could rest between the proven form of Fair Dinkum and the untapped potential of Warrior King. The latter’s profile screams progression and he looks the one open to the most improvement over two miles on this surface.

1st – Warrior King
2nd – Fair Dinkum
3rd – Hedonista

Private Tissue (100% book)

• Warrior King – 10/3
• Fair Dinkum – 7/2
• Hedonista – 5/1
• Gemmari – 6/1
• Home And Dry – 8/1
• Haliphon – 12/1
• Navalanche – 12/1

Summary

An interesting staying heat that may come down to which three-year-old handles the Kempton test best. Warrior King gets the nod as a progressive type with a touch more upside, though Fair Dinkum’s winning streak commands respect. Hedonista is the solid each-way angle at the prices.