War Lord is fancied to give his rivals the cold shoulder in the AIS December Gold Cup (1.55) at Cheltenham.
The grey son of Jukebox Jury collected over fences at Newton Abbot, Carlisle and Lingfield Park during a novice campaign that also yielded in-the-frame efforts behind Edwardstone at Sandown Park (Henry VIII Novices’ Chase) and Cheltenham (Arkle Challenge Trophy).
Joe Tizzard gave the seven-year-old his comeback in the Haldon Gold Cup – the two mile test was War Lord’s debut in handicap chases – at Exeter at the beginning of last month.
My selection, 14-1 with William Hill at the time of writing, looked in deep trouble as the drama unfolded into its final act, but stuck on to take third, albeit at a respectable distance of 21 lengths, to Greaneteen.
The evidence of that run is that going back up to two and a half miles will see War Lord in a different light and War Lord has the untapped potential to mark his eighth attempt over the larger obstacles by taking the £74,035 first prize back to Dorset.
Knappers Hill gets the vote to win his first race on the bounce by beating four rivals for the Grade 2 Unibet International Hurdle (2.25).
Paul Nicholls’ six-year-old signed off for last season with victories in a novice hurdle at Newton Abbot and a handicap event for rookies at Sandown Park in April.
And he has continued his upward curve this term, reappearing with a win in a big-money handicap hurdle at Chepstow at the start of October before a two-and-a-half-length margin over Sceau Royal in the Grade 2 Elite Hurdle at Wincanton four weeks later.
A 6lb penalty for that victory means that Harry Cobden’s mount has more to find, now that he locks horns with 2020 Champion Hurdle heroine Epatante and I Like To Move It, who lifted the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham’s November fixture.
But my selection still has untapped potential to draw upon and, with Cobden likely to adopt a catch-me-if-you-can role, Knappers Hill could prove hard to pass.
The Grade 2 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (3.00) brings together a clutch of improving performers, with preference for Thomas Mor.
The son of Dylan Thomas got off the mark at his fifth outing in the Irish point-to-point arena last spring before being purchased for £45,000 to join David Pipe.
That already looks a useful piece of business, as he marked his Rules debut with a four-length supremacy in a maiden hurdle at Worcester in October.
And he took a step forward with a yawning 57-length margin in a novice event at Wincanton in the middle of last month.
It’s hard to know where the five-year-old’s ceiling is and Thomas Mor should give another good account.
She defied Indefatigable to lift the Molson Coors Mares’ Handicap Hurdle (3.35) 12 months ago and everything is in place for Martello Sky to repeat the feat.
This season, the Lucy Wadham-saddled grey has made the podium in Listed events at Wetherby and Kempton Park.
Returned to the handicap sphere and competing from a British Horseracing Authority rating of 140 – she won from the same mark 12 in 2021 – Martello Sky can defend her title.
At Doncaster, Heroique De Maulde rates a worthy market leader for the Bet Boost At bet365 Handicap Chase (2.40).
Twice triumphant in his native France, the chestnut came within a short head of a successful start for Jim Ewart when edged out by Hidden Commander 30 days ago.
The assessor has reacted with a 4lb rise in the handicap, but Heroique De Maulde is a far way from the bottom of the barrel.
Sophie Leech and daughter Roisin combine with Maillot Blanc, who looks set for a red-letter day in the bet365 Novices’ Handicap Hurdle (3.15).
Sulamani’s son has yet to hit the bullseye in seven attempts over timber.
Yet there was enough in his last-time-out third at Hexham, when today’s jockey was aboard for the first time, to suggest Maillot Blanc’s turn may not be far away.
Trojan Horse ran away with a youngsters’ race at Fontwell Park on his latest start and has plenty more to give in the Listed bet365 Summit Juvenile Hurdle (1.30).
