The Racing Horse has a Pacafi for tomorrow in Night Of Glory 7.15 Kempton at 4/6 (Bet365, Betfred and Totesport) and he looks a good thing with perceived value attached.

Straightforward task for Night Of Glory

Night Of Glory 7.15 Kempton is a 4yo Sea The Stars gelding and looks to have a straightforward task in beating today's three rivals with the conditions to suit. He was a £340,000 purchase from M D O'Callaghan Racing and performed well on the Flat last year. For that sort of money we wonder what his trainer has planned for him in 2018?

Fine athletic type - Michael O'Callaghan

After narrowly losing out at Navan on his debut at 33/1 he went one better when winning his Maiden at the Curragh. Never far from the pace, he came under pressure before the swing for home but battled bravely to get on top inside the final furlong and he won well at the line. After the race the trainer Michael O'Callaghan told us: “Night Of Glory is a fine athletic type but he is still a bit raw. He will improve plenty again and probably needs stepping up in trip. His best furlong was his last one and we will take it one step at a time with him.”

The 4/6 looks value

He was then a creditable second over 1m4f at Haydock for Andrew Balding in second-time cheekpieces. He was not disgraced over hurdles last month, he was pitched in at the deep end racing in a competitive £12,512 Class 2 Juvenile Hurdle at Sandown and was fancied to go close as the 4/1 second favourite. Rated 92 on the Flat he has clearly been found a good opportunity for his AW debut. The 4/6 looks perceived value and we expect him to start a lot shorter.

Trainer and Jockey form requisite

Andrew Balding was 0-10 for December but won with Papa Stour today thus advertising his claims so 1-3 in January so far (331) and although 38 winners from 295 runners for 13% at Kempton is not the best statistics, it is requisite. When Oisin Murphy rides for the trainers the statistics rise to 100-598 for 17%. If we look at 2017 the figures show 27-145 for 19% and a level stake profit of +8.59pts. Only David Probert has ridden more winners for the trainer over the last five seasons but that was from 1000 rides. With just 4 runners over a distance there is always the concern of being beaten by tactics but this jockey we can be assured of a sound common sense ride!

Optimum ground?

We are not sure what is optimum ground for our bet but the AW is not expected to a problem, Night Of Glory has won on good ground but also second on heavy. 

Of his rivals

Of his rivals, Ryan Bliss spokesman for Nicky Henderson and the current second-favourite Bardd said: "The trip is probably on the sharp side, as Luke Morris thinks he will get two miles on the all-weather, and he shouldn't beat Night Of Glory at level weights, but he'll hopefully run well.”

And a deeper look at Firmage Burg

The Racing Horse has spoken to Michael Legg the assistant trainer to Harry Fry in the last couple of weeks and he gave us the impression it was Juvenile Hurdles for Firmage Burg and this looks a pipe opener and a chance for the team to see where they are with their French bred acquisition. The fact she is ridden by Fran Berry tells us quite a bit and the stable will be looking for a report back.

She is a sister to French winners Fire Burg (2m1f-2m3f hurdle) and Ferruccio (1m7f Flat/2m5f hurdle) after finishing third of nine in 12.5f maiden in French provinces last March on only start (first, second and fourth all winners since). She does receive a handy 12lb from the two previous winners in the field and it will be interesting to see how she goes in the betting. She is one of our five to follow from Harry Fry's stable for 2018 but over hurdles...

Worth remembering Night Of Glory was highly tried on the Flat last season which included a visit to Royal Ascot when down the field in the Queen's Vase and this Kempton Class 5 Novice Stakes race seems a long way from that run. 

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RESULT: NIGHT OF GLORY took advantage of a decent opportunity to win for the first time in Britain. His victory was rather workmanlike but his class saw him through in the end. The Racing Horse advised taking the 4/6 readily available and he was backed into 3/10 so an ideal bet for trading and reducing liabilities. The perfect way to start 2018...

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