It is time to follow the Van

VANITEUX may have ultimately failed to reach the expected heights, but he can prove he is no back number just yet with victory in the NSPCC School Service Handicap Chase at Kelso tomorrow.

The nine-year-old looked a potential star with Nicky Henderson, finishing third behind Vautour in the 2014 Supreme before going on to strike Grade Two gold as a novice chaser.

However, his progress somewhat arrested after that and he was moved on from Seven Barrows in May 2017, joining David Pipe’s team for a princely sum of £125,000.

Vaniteux was understandably kept among the higher ranks last term, but a luckless period saw his rating tumble from 158 to the 135 he lined up off at Perth last month.

Third on that occasion over three miles, the combination of the longest distance he had contested under rules combined with a fourmonth absence perhaps told at the finish, but it was nevertheless an encouraging effort.

Dropped a further 1lb by the handicapper, a mark of 134 back over this two-mile-one-furlong trip makes Vaniteux a very attractive proposition.

Rocky’s Treasure can make a perfect start to his career over fences in the Libra Novices’ Chase.

The seven-year-old was a point-to-point winner in 2016, going on to sell for £60,000 and join Kim Bailey, for whom he plied his trade admirably over hurdles, winning twice and placing at Listed level.

He lost his way a bit after that and only started to bounce back in the spring, with his Warwick fourth in May representing a decent effort.

It seems an opportune moment to raise his sights to fences now and Rocky’s Treasure can meet the challenge.