Kingdom Come looks to maintain his perfect record on the all-weather in the Stay Golden With BetMGM Safer Gambling Handicap (7.45pm), one of two class two prizes at Wolverhampton on Saturday, February 17.
The 101-rated son of Kingman is unbeaten in three starts at Kempton Park for Clive Cox, most recently taking a seven-furlong handicap in decisive fashion in April.
Kingdom Come raced three times on turf subsequently, including finishing fourth in a valuable mile handicap at Newbury and third on his most recent appearance at Haydock Park in July.
Cox said: “Kingdom Come has had a lengthy time off since his last run, which was a promising effort at Haydock, and he is very much at home on the all-weather surfaces.
“He is on a mark of 101, so he is quite exposed from a handicapping perspective, although he has gone well following a break in the past.
“It will be nice to get him back on the track and see where we are with him.”
The Lambourn handler also issued an update on last season’s all-weather Sprint champion Diligent Harry, who made a winning return to action in the Listed BetUK Kachy Stakes on February 4.
Cox added: “Diligent Harry is on the same rating of 108 as he was before winning the Listed race at Lingfield the other day.
“We are a little shy of options for him and are open minded at the moment about what to do next. With the Sprint final now a handicap rather than a conditions race, it makes it more difficult for these good horses.
“There is a possibility he could drop back to five furlongs for the Listed Hever Sprint at Southwell next week. Nothing is definitive but, if we were to look at qualifying him for the final, he would have to go to Southwell and then the race in France he ran in last year.”
Kingdom Come will have to see off the in-form Doctor Khan Junior, who is on a roll following victories at Newcastle, Wolverhampton and Southwell.
Intervention (Mick Appleby)and Follow Your Heart (David Loughnane) will be looking to reverse the form with Doctor Khan Junior, having finished second and fourth behind Geoff Oldroyd’s runner at Southwell.
Master Zoffany (Richard Fahey) and Chuzzlewit (Kevin Ryan) have already met a couple of times this season, including when Master Zoffany triumphed at Newcastle in December.
Ian Williams saddles yard newcomer Trip To Rome, who won at Kempton Park on his final appearance for Ed Dunlop, while Ruth Carr’s Darwell Lion completes the field.
Ralph Beckett’s multiple G3 scorer Max Vega shoulders top weight in the Build Your Acca With BetUK Handicap (7.15pm) over 12 furlongs.
The seven-year-old, whose latest Pattern race success came in the 2022 St Simon Stakes, finished second behind potential G3 BetUK Winter Derby contender Teumessias Fox on his latest start.
In a competitive contest, Vaguely Royal (John & Thady Gosden), Nolton Cross (Hugo Palmer) and Zealot (Mick Appleby) all line up on the back of wins, although the last named has been off the track for 338 days.
