Leoncavallo can claim Ces cash for Pipe

David Pipe can add his name to the recent list of primarily National Hunt trainers to hit the mark in the Together For Racing International Cesarewitch as Leoncavallo looks primed to strike at Newmarket tomorrow.

The two-and-a-quartermile feature has been won twice by Willie Mullins, Philip Hobbs, Nicky Henderson and Pipe’s father Martin, plus Alan King once, all since the turn of the century – although that perhaps should not be so surprising given the trip and the type of horses housed in their stables.

Pipe has not actually had Leoncavallo that long, but the eight-year-old has certainly taken a liking to his new surroundings.

Beaten a nose on his debut for the yard at Sandwon on the Flat in June, a month later he bolted up in a novice chase at Stratford.

He was back on the level for his most recent outing at Haydock, where he never came off the bridle in winning by almost five lengths and could have easily been raised by more than the 6lb leap he has incurred.

That meant Pipe had to sweat over whether to give him another run to make sure of his place in the field, but the race cut up markedly at the five-day stage and he gets a run off a very low weight.

L e o n c ava l l o h a s h ad 1 1 starts on the level to date, so there is every chance he is unexposed for one of his age.

T h e D a rl ey D ewhu r s t Stakes looks well up to standard – but the way Thunder Moon won last time out suggests he is the one to beat.

Joseph O’Brien’s colt was a stylish winner on his debut, but he was sent off a generous-looking 15-2 chance for the National Stakes – arguably the strongest race of its type at the time.

Despite meeting trouble in running, he blasted away once in the clear and the fifth Lucky Vega – who was also marginally unlucky – franked the form when second in the Middle Park.

There was enough cut in the ground on his debut to suggest soft going would be no great issue and he just gets a narrow verdict over Richard Hannon’s Chindit.

The step up to a mile really suited Maximal last time out and he can continue to progress in the Emirates Autumn Stakes.

He hails from a classic Juddmonte family – his dam Joyeuse is a half-sister to Frankel and just like that champion, Maximal is by Galileo.

Beaten a nose on debut, he was expected to oblige next time, but was second again to One Ruler, who has subsequently finished third at Listed level. Maximal made no mistake next time back at Sandown, cruising to a fivelength win on his first run over a mile, looking far more the finished article.