Shocked and dismayed by the postponing of Penhurst point, it was time to meander (very slowly, thanks to rail engineering works) towards Kempton, where a sparse crowd had gathered for the racing. It seems the same phenomena has hit the course as at Lingfield - continuous diet of aesthetically unappealing all weather racing in front of two men and a sleeping dog sets a habit of non-attendance when more desirable turf fixtures crop up. The efforts of the announcers and commentator to try and drum up business for the dirt racing smacked of desperation (in April, women and crossdressers in free!) and would have given Geobbels a run for his money in the propaganda stakes.

Going: Chase - good to soft (soft bits), Hurdle - soft

Race 1: Intercasino.co.uk Juvenile Maiden Hurdle [2m]

1: Haar     2: Hope Road     3: L'Homme de Nuit

Winner owned: Mrs RM Hill and Michael P Hill, trained: Andrew Turnell, ridden: Mark Grant

Being a late season maiden, the race was not likely to attract any stars, or highly promising flat converts. The eight that lined up had not really looked like they were going to win a non-handicap unless they were to stumble on a race like this. The well-named Haar, taking the odd geographical liberty (by Selkirk, out of Chilly Start), was the one able to take advantage after an eyeball to eyeball battle with Hope Road all along the run in. L'Homme de Nuit's latest run, beaten 29 lengths in a course and distance Grade 2 race by no less than Binocular looks a bit reasonable in hindsight, but he could not get in a blow on the first pair. Not only was the winner well named, but the runner-up is giving cause for hope, and the third might be well advised to seek the cover of darkness from his forlorn backers. High Profit has some work to do in this name related area.

Race 2: Intercasino.co.uk Beginners' Chase [3m]

1: Leading Attraction     2: Cheating Chance     3: Palmers Peak

Winner owned: Mrs Jan Smith, trained: Paul Nicholls, ridden: Nick Scholfield

On an innocuous day's racing, this event might have been the one with most long term significance. Since winning on his Irish point debut in April 2006, Leading Attraction was having only his third run, but he ran out an impressive enough winner, with only a mistake two out as he skipped clear to put a blemish on his performance. The next three home, Cheating Chance, Palmers Peak and the spoilsport to an alliterative zenith Supreme Lover came home in single file behind. In the case of Cheating Chance, it was a decent way to put a fall at Leicester behind him. The strength of the race was reinforced by generally sound jumping all round.

It was sunnier than this, honest. Nictos De Bersy leads Palmers Peak and the mostly hidden Supreme Lover over the ninth. Alfasonic (yellow) and Leading Attraction (spots) are hot on their heels, with Mith Hill clinging in their vainly

Race 3: Intercasino.co.uk Handicap Hurdle [2m]

1: Decree Nisi     2: Doubly Sharp     3: War Pennant     4: Darkshape

Winner owned & trained: Peter Kelsall, ridden: Richie Killoran

Being only a 0-90 this was a seller in all but name, and St Pancras (twice) and Eila (once) were the only runners from a big field to have won above selling company. In fact ten of the seventeen were still seeking that first success, and one of those was Decree Nisi, who managed to put seventeen defeats behind him in emphatic style once the field scattered three from home. Doubly Sharp has had a lot less experience of failure and dropping into this bottom drawer saw him run his first competitive effort. War Pennant, on the other hand, has run this sort of race before and does not look the type to exert himself a great deal. Surprise Fakenham winner Purr was not at all in the mood on this occasion. No Telling, making his handicap debut, was set for a place when he took a heavy fall at the last, hampering the plodding on St Pancras in the process.

Race 4: Intercasino.co.uk Handicap Chase [2m 4.5f]

1: Nemetan     2: Kew Jumper     3: Laskari

Winner owned: Mr PM De Wilde, trained: Robert & Sally Alner, ridden: Robert Walford

At the third last, this seemed an unlikely outcome, with Ruairi leading Kew Jumper and Laskari into the fence. Nemetan, who has tended to run at a slightly lower level and also looked a bit soft on occasions, was under pressure in fourth and going nowhere. By the final obstacle, all four were back in a bunch, and Nemetan was covering the ground fastest of the quartet. He got the slickest jump, whereas Ruairi went out to the left and on the run-in, the positions reversed. Up until the final fence action, it really was that uneventful.

The final fence and the order is Nemetan (8), Kew Jumper (black), Ruairi (bumbling) and Laskari (in the air)

Race 5: Intercasino.co.uk Novice Handicap Hurdle [3m 0.5f]

1: Mister Pink     2: Double Shot     3: Forest Silver

Winner owned: Patrick Lowe, trained: Richard Rowe, ridden: Timmy Murphy

Obviously novice hurdlers that are running at three miles have not really been impressing anyone with their speed, but instead of a bunch of duffers, in this case seven of the thirteen had won a race, so it seemed a good sort of heat. Which makes it all the more bizarre that the winner should turn out to be Mister Pink, whose competitive spirit had been a touch lacking up to this point, to put it mildly. Either that or he was too polite to overtake other horses. Double Shot plugged away at one pace, but does not look terribly well handicapped on what he had achieved until now, and Forest Silver almost certainly needs better ground. With So Now just struggling on to the line for fourth, and the likes of Open Season, Oniphlaure and Doctor Kilbride below their recent best, perhaps it was not as tough task as might have been anticipated.

Race 6: Big Jackpots at intercasino.co.uk Handicap Chase [3m]

1: Perange     2: Laudamus     3: Treasulier

Winner owned: Mrs M Merriam, trained: Gardie Grissell, ridden: Alex Merriam

Another tight finish in a chase, with Perange just clinging on after having a couple of lengths lead at the last. The weather went in Perange's favour as his stamina is not bottomless and had the going been much softer, he would have struggled to see out the trip. Laudamus would have preferred less rain himself, and after falling on his chase debut, he has posted a pair of acceptable second places. After taking an age to break his duck, Treasulier doubled his tally last time, and after setting the pace, seemed set to drop away once headed. The dodgy durability of the first pair on the going helped him to a flattering rally on the run-in. Lumbered with top weight on his chase debut, Sycho Fred made one or two scrappy jumps but did not acquit himself too badly. He was, however, a notably unprolific winner in his pointing days.

Race 7: Intercasino.co.uk Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race [2m]

1: China Gold     2: Perkin Warbeck     3: Wandering Minstral

Winner owned: Bob Tullett & Denny Chambers, trained: Alan King, ridden: Robert Thornton

There was one newcomer in this and seven rivals with a mixed bag of form to their name. The debutant China Gold won, cruising into the lead a couple of furlongs out, but then having to be ridden out to see off the persistant Perkin Warbeck, previously second in a modest Stratford bumper. They put plenty of daylight between themselves and the well distributed others.

Plus Points

Haar (race 1): Is not likely to scale great heights as a hurdler, but he is built for chasing and ran like a stayer in the making today.

Supreme Lover (race 2): Jumped well on his chase debut, and first run for nigh on a year, until a couple of tired efforts in the latter stages. He looks like a step up on the bare form is imminent on better going.

Nictos De Bersy (race 2): Won a two and a half mile hurdle on soft, but since then his form has been PF33PP, where the third in a chase saw only one finisher behind him. After being outpaced in this five out, he kept going to finish and jumped the last like anything but a tired horse. Assuming the bad days do not indicate that he is not mentally wayward, he could be set for a return to form.

Cavendish (race 3): In a low grade race, he is the one with most scope to rise above it. At the moment, he is held back by some shambolic jumping, but seems to have far more physical ability than he has been capable of showing.

Kew Jumper (race 4): All three wins have come on good, so a narrow defeat on softer ground is a positive sign.

Laskari (race 4): Ran well after well over a year off, and 2m 4f or so on a right handed track is spot on for him.

Doctor Kilbride (race 5): Had a bad day after being consistent all season in long distance hurdles, but should be able to bounce back.

Forest Silver (race 5): Has not been afraid of tackling the mud, it is just that he does better on good or faster.

Laudamus (race 6): On the evidence of his last two chase runs, he seems poised to step up on his recent places when the going improves.

Down Arrows

Quelclasse (race 1): Was a fair, but well beaten, third on his debut at Chepstow, and this time capitulated somewhat tamely before pulling up. A definite backward step.

Palmers Peak (race 2): Won a few points from plenty of tries, and had not really cut it under Rules, until an 18 length third to Barbers Shot two runs ago. He looked very one paced on this occasion and might be the sort to keep finding one or two a bit nippier than he can handle.

Mith Hill (race 2): Was no mug as a hurdler, including a win at Cheltenham in his repertoire, but he again jumped poorly and has not got the hang of chasing at all.

Purr (race 3): Showed the Fakenham run to be the exception and not the rule.

Ful Of Grace (race 3): Won a seller earlier in the season, but for the third run in a row, she was well below that standard.

Mister Pink (race 5): Can he be trusted to repeat this? Are bears catholic? Does the pope have a forest outhouse?

Noble Buck (race 6): On his first run in 21 months, he unseated. In 21 chases, he has fallen or unseated 6 times, which indicates a rather risky betting proposition.

Bermuda Pointe (race 6): Has been a model of consistency, but dropped out a bit feebly to be a well beaten fourth and despite having had a mid-winter break, from which this was his second run back, he was clearly not himself this time around

UK-Jumping Selections

Ruairi (race 4): Looked the winner two out, but the way Nemetan stormed home meant that even avoiding the final fence error would have got him second at best. Not a bad run, but a touch below expectation.