Saturday ante-post tips: 16-1 and 9-1 chances look huge value

The most valuable race in the country on Saturday is the £150,000 Ladbrokes Trophy Handicap Chase at Kempton over three miles, and it looks as competitive as you might expect.

Sam Thomas has scooped two of the past three renewals, including with emphatic winner Katate Dori last year, and that horse is currently the best-priced 5-1 favourite to land the spoils again off an 11lb higher mark.

However, this year's race looks stronger, plus he has been beaten in all three starts this season, so whilst he still has a big chance back at this track in a race likely to suit, the value may lie elsewhere.

The one that I keep coming back to is Anthony Honeyball's charge, the novice KDEUX SAINT FRAY, who is currently a best-priced 9-1, but as short as 6-1 with the race sponsors.

The youngest horse in the race aged six, he has had just four starts over fences and, since falling on his chase debut under rules, he has ran consistently well in his three starts since, winning at Cheltenham in a race which has largely worked out pretty well, before running to a similar level when finishing second and fourth on the past two occasions.

Those races have all been over two and a half miles, and on each occasion, he has done his best work at the finish, shaping as if this step up to three miles should bring about significant improvement, in keeping with much of his sire Masked Marvel's progeny.

I'm also not sure he has been ideally suited by the soft ground on the past two occasions, yet he still ran with credit. Surprisingly, despite the wet weather of late, the going at Kempton at the time of writing is good to soft, with a dry week forecast. He has won twice on ground officially described as good, plus has won a point-to-point on ground described as good to soft.

It is worth noting Kdeaux Saint Fray is also entered in the Grade Two Pendil Novices' Chase over two and a half miles on the same card, but he would have plenty to find on the figures in that race and I can't help but feel he has a big race in him off a mark of 129 over this trip.

Earlier on the card, the Grade Two Ladbrokes Adonis Juvenile Hurdle is likely to boast a smaller field, but there could be even greater value courtesy of the Jane Williams-trained LA LUNA ARTISTA, another who seems to be overlooked in the market despite running a fine race on Cheltenham's Festival Trials Day.

Although the daughter of Spanish Moon has a couple of lengths to find with One Horse Town from last month's Grade Two, she met trouble in running approaching the final flight that day and has significantly less hurdling experience, and could therefore be open to much more improvement, particularly back on  livelier ground. Yet, Harry Derham's gelding is 9-4 for this race, and the selection is widely available at 16-1.

La Luna Artista's jumping is also a big asset. She gained over 14 lengths in the air on her first start over hurdles where she won impressively, and then last time, on just her second start over obstacles, she recorded a RaceiQ Jump Index of 8.1 (out of 10) - higher than One Horse Town.

Course and distance winner Precious Man, and Nicky Henderson's unbeaten Mustang Du Breuil, who has been on my radar for some time, look to have big chances should they line up, but La Luna Artista should enjoy this sharper test where her jumping can be more of a weapon and can reward each-way backers at a big price in receipt of a valuable 7lb.

1.45 Kempton - Ladbrokes Adonis Juvenile Hurdle: LA LUNA ARTISTA at 16-1 with Coral and Ladbrokes.

3.35 Kempton - Ladbrokes Trophy Handicap Chase: KDEUX SAINT FRAY at 9-1 with bet365.