English/Ire
King’s best bets – 4th February 2026
Sam King is back with a handful of selections on Wednesday.
It was disappointing not to get on the board with two selections yesterday but there are a whole host of horses who I fancy to find the winners' circle today, so it's back to the drawing board we go.
The Harry Derham team have been operating at a 20% strike rate over the last fortnight, and he looks to have found a nice opening for the talented Kiwi Rush in the Ludlow Members Novices' Hurdle (2.23).
It's slightly frustrating that he's already been well-backed in the early markets, but he looks like a solid horse to have in the multiples this afternoon.
A talented bumper performer, he's not managed to strike in two efforts over timber but they've both come in much stronger contests than this and he was by no means disgraced in either of them, finishing a creditable fourth behind subsequent Grade 1 Challow Hurdle runner-up Klimt Madrik on his hurdling bow at Newbury before shaping much better than the bare result when fifth at Cheltenham last time.
Sent off just a 7/2 chance on his second start over hurdles, Harry Derham's charge travelled sweetly up until making a disastrous mistake three-out and almost unshipping Paul O'Brien out of the saddle. It was detrimental to his ability that he was able to recover from that to stay in touch with the leading pack before fading up the run-in and given the way he travelled that day, it's no shock to see connections drop back to two miles here.
This looks like his weakest assignment over hurdles thus far and it would be disappointing were he not able to add to his Kelso bumper success last season.
Kiwi Rush – 1pt Win
Odds – 5/4
Later on the card, Sallyville Lady must have every chance for the in-form Dan and Harry Skelton combination in the Late Roy Kneller 85th Birthday Mares' Handicap Hurdle (3.33).
A point-to-point winner last season, the daughter of Affinisea has done nothing wrong in her two starts to date under Rules and looks set to put up a bold bid now moving into handicap company off a potentially lenient mark of 111.
The form of her Warwick third on debut has yet to be really tested but I suspect the winner is a useful type there, while the runner-up, who has since been beaten on both subsequent starts, did head into the contest having chased home a smart type beforehand. He's now rated 118 to give the form some context.
Dan Skelton's mare went on to confirm her debut effort when finding only one too good second time out at Uttoxeter and while she did well to handle heavy ground on that occasion, it's likely she just came up against a mare who has a nice future as a thorough stayer. The winner that day has since followed up under testing conditions to give the form a boost and herself looks potentially nicely-weighted off her allocated mark of 119.
The return to a slightly easier surface over this trip should be right up Sallyville Lady's street and she can make an immediate impact now switched to handicaps.
Sallyville Lady – 1pt Win
Odds – 10/3
Over at Kempton, the progressive High On Hope looks like a touch of value from the foot of the weights in the Bet 20 Get 20 With Unibet Handicap (2.00).
It's no shock to see The Lost King head the market following his recent course success and with Oisin Murphy in the plate. However, he's hardly a model of consistency and I'm not sure he represents much value at around 13/8.
In contrast, High On Hope has done nothing but put up consistent performances on the all-weather of late and his form figures since switching to it last autumn now read 3311.
It was tough not to be impressed with that manner in which he picked up from off the pace to land a Class 4 contest over course and distance last time out, while the form took a timely boost when the fourth-placed horse, Towerlands, struck at Wolverhampton last night to make it four wins from his last six starts.
This represents a tougher assignment, but he strikes me as the type of horse (strong travelling) who will do better in stronger quality contests and with a good draw to work from in stall one, it's possible that his winning run might not have yet come to an end.
High On Hope – 1pt Win
4/1
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