Kempton top racing tip for Wednesday: Mister X looks to be a big player

Of those, only Mister X has done so twice, both times on synthetic tracks, and he looks to have given a good opportunity to strike for a third time over this trip.

He comes here in top form, is dropping in grade and has a very handy inside draw, so he has plenty going for him, including having run well on this track before, under today's rider.

Mister X made his first visit to this venue last October when he finished a never-nearer third of 10 over six furlongs under this rider.

He performed best of those who came from off the pace in that event, doing all his best work in the latter stages, closing in on an all-the-way winner and a runner-up who was in that position the whole way.

It was clear on that all-weather handicap debut that Mister X wanted an extra furlong, and since upping to seven furlongs on the all-weather in November, only one of his 18 rivals in three seven-furlong handicaps has been able to beat him, and that was Berkshire Phantom, who is now rated 85, which is way ahead of today's standard.

Mister X clearly had a tough task against that useful winner, but in finishing runner-up in that handicap at Wolverhampton last week, he finished ahead of the odds-on favourite, Dark Trooper, who is also rated 85.

Mister X tried to make all the running from the inside stall last week and he is drawn to attack again today.

He certainly doesn't need to lead, and didn't do so for any of his three career wins, but his rider was clearly trying to make full use of his stamina as he dropped back from eight furlongs (when he became outpaced off a slower tempo in a small field).

Following that big run in Class 4 company last time, Mister X will appreciate dropping down into Class 5 company off an unchanged mark, having won his last seven-furlong handicap in this grade, and he looks a big player under a rider who has already won twice on him.

Of the others, Prince Nabeel was also in action last week, extending his run of consistent performances to finish third of ten (beaten just a length) in a maiden over this very trip.

Under Jack Mitchell (who will now know a lot more about him) for a second successive time, Prince Nabeel is yet to get off the mark, but this will be his first handicap run for his new trainer, Joseph Parr, and the three-year-old finished a solid third of six over this course and distance in Class 4 company in his last handicap here (in late January) and he is now only a pound higher in Class 5.