Talking Horses

AINTREE BECKONS FOR RETURNING SAINT

IMPERIAL SAINT is back on familiar turf on Saturday, ready to rekindle his love affair with Aintree. The eight-year-old makes his seasonal return in the Play Lucky Stable With William Hill Handicap Chase (3:35), with Philip Hobbs and Johnson White reporting their charge to be in good order ahead of his comeback.

The training partnership view this 2m 4f contest as an ideal starting point for the season, with the big prize in his sights being the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury on Saturday 28th November. However, he does go well fresh, while Aintree form figures of 111250 tell their own story.

Despite last year’s Grand National proving a bridge too far, Imperial Saint still jumped with aplomb that day, clearly taking to the famous fences, and he may have just hit the front too soon before his stamina eventually gave out. His class was there for all to see earlier in the season in January though, when an emotional Peter Marsh victory at Haydock gave Richard Johnson’s syndicate a day to remember.

Aintree has already provided three wins in his novice season two years ago, with a couple recorded over 2m on good ground and another over 2m 4f on good to soft - a feat unlikely to be matched in the same season.

Hobbs and White are also set to run their Scottish Grand National hero KAP VERT in the BetMGM Handicap Chase (3:35) at Aintree on Friday, with the pair hoping to build on last season’s Ayr triumph. The six-year-old’s enthusiasm remains undimmed, as he is still just as lively on the gallops given his love for morning work. He has also schooled well, with the training partnership seemingly having him fit and well enough to do himself justice.

Connections had feared that the ground at Ayr (“heavy, soft in places”) might trip him up. But instead, he handled it well. The lightly-raced six-year-old is a much better chaser than he was a hurdler, and he surely has more to offer in this sphere. A Grand National bid could even beckon, but he needs another valuable win or two from his current mark of 136 to have a chance of making the cut.

Andrew Balding had a double blow after seeing both of his November Handicap entries miss the cut, further denting his trainers’ title hopes. However, he has some lesser lights in action this weekend in a bid to swell the coffers.

BLACK CHIFFON is still in the reckoning for the 1m 2f Midnite A Next Generation Betting App Handicap (2:53) at Newcastle on Friday - live on Sky Sports Racing - rather than face a tougher assignment in a Listed contest at Doncaster. The three-year-old nearly stole her last start at Lingfield, grabbing first run before Enoch reeled her in well inside the final furlong. That effort was useful, and she can go one better here.

Soft ground should be right up the street of COPACABANA SANDS, who looks to have decent place claims in the Listed Virgin Bet Every Saturday Money Back Wentworth Stakes (2:10) at Doncaster on Saturday - live on Sky Sports Racing.

Now fitted with a first-time tongue strap and with Oisin Murphy back on board, the four-year-old caught the eye last time after 12 weeks off, doing best of those ridden prominently in a 7f Group 3 here before fading well inside the final furlong. The daughter of Sands Of Mali showed enough speed that day to make trying this 6f trip worthwhile.

With Balding’s hopes unfortunately dashed in Saturday’s Virgin Bet November Handicap (3:25), it might be worth having a stab at one at bigger odds, and last year’s runner-up MISS DOLLY ROCKER currently looks overpriced at 33/1 for Faye Bramley. This is the time of year when this mare usually thrives, and she is only 1lb higher than 12 months ago having already run twice this term, shaping as if her most recent effort in a Listed event at Bath after a five-month break was nothing more than a prep for this Town Moor target.

One from the gallops

John and Thady Gosden have their sights set on a final swansong for stable-superstar OMBUDSMAN in the Japan Cup at the end of the month, and the five-year-old has reportedly been ticking over nicely at Clarehaven.

Although the day-to-day runners nearer to home are thin on the ground, newcomer HIGHLAND RANGER is worth a second look as he bids to open his account at the first time of asking in a 1m novice at Southwell on Saturday - live on Sky Sports Racing.

The son of Kameko was spotted doing a nice, gentle piece of work under Rab Havlin alongside a galloping companion on the Al Bahathri, and the Kameko colt is fancied to extend the good run of form for the yard with their backend juveniles.

One for the ATR Tracker

The unbeaten SKERRY HILL is emerging as a leading Cheltenham Festival prospect for Gordon Elliott, with the Grand National-winning trainer shouting his high hopes for this promising novice from the rooftops.

Elliott recently watched the five-year-old maintain his unbeaten record on his hurdling debut at Down Royal, in a race he has previously won with the likes of Envoi Allen and Romeo Coolio. Travelling strongly in front, the gelding drew clear from two out to score hard-held. A tendency to jump to his left certainly leaves room for improvement, but he ran close to his useful bumper form and shaped as though there is plenty more to come.

The Royal Bond is a possible next target and would certainly offer a more searching test of his Cheltenham credentials. Elliott has sent Envoi Allen, Abacadabras, Romeo Coolio and Irish Point to the race previously, making the proposed route a telling indication of his regard for Skerry Hill.

Owned by Ronnie Bartlett, he showed promise in both bumper starts last season. Hooded for his rules debut at Down Royal, he needed encouragement inside the final half-mile before stretching clear to win by just over three lengths, despite showing greenness in the closing stages. He then followed that up at Ayr’s Scottish Grand National meeting in April, when well-backed on deteriorating ground described as “heavy”.

The five-year-old travelled strongly that day under Danny Gilligan, tracking the leader before taking over inside the final furlong and finding enough to score by just under two lengths, despite his inexperience. Although the race lacked the depth of previous renewals, the runner-up had won well on his rules debut, while the fourth-placed Keops Des Bordes had finished second to No Drama This End before suffering a setback.

By Order Of Saint George and related to two good-ground hurdle winners, this big, powerful gelding looks a staying type, though he doesn’t lack for speed. That leaves connections with a potentially-nice problem further down the line - should he run over two miles in the Supreme or step up to 2m 4f for the Turners?