Rouge Vif looks ideal for honours
Rouge Vif can spark a big-race double for champion trainer Paul Nicholls in the Coral Silviniaco Conti Chase at Kempton tomorrow.
The Ditcheat handler has won the last two renewals of the race named in honour of the dual King George winner also trained by Nicholls.
Frodon had already won the Ryanair before taking this prize in 2020, and would go on to win the King George almost ayearlater–andRougeVifdoes not have too dissimilar a profile.
A very consistent sort for Harry Whittington who trained him to seven wins, he was third in the 2020 Arkle.
But just like Frodon, he is capableofcarryingbigweights to victory, as he showed when winning off a mark of 156 last October. Third in the Tingle Creek afterwards, his last two runsforWhittingtonweredisappointing.
OnhisfirststartforNicholls he blew the cobwebs away behind Nube Negra at Cheltenham and the time now looks right for him to step up in trip.
Ashegets6lbfromMrFisher and Eldorado Allen, and DefoDuSeuilhaslookedbadlyout of sorts for two seasons now, Rouge Vif can take advantage of some good placement.
Nichollscandoubleupwith Gelino Bello who is of clear interest in the Coral Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle.
An impressive winner on his hurdling debut at Aintree in October, Gelino Bello has since chased home Irish raider Blazing Khal in successive Grade Two novice events at Cheltenham.
Blazing Khal heads antepost lists for the Albert Bartlett at the Festival in March, so there is nothing wrong with that form, and an opening perch of 138 for Gelino Bello’s handicap bow looks fair.
Given the way he trounced hisrivalsonasoundssurfaceat Aintree, there is every chance thatdroppingbackindistance will see the Nicholls runner in a better light, too.
Padleyourowncanoe gets the vote in the featured Agetur UK Ltd Classic Chase at Warwick.
The eight-year-old has three wins on the all-weather, threeoverhurdlesandoneover fencesonhisCVfromprevious spells with Mark Loughnane and Colin Tizzard.
He proved he has what it takes to mix it in a competitive and stamina-sapping staying chase when not beaten far into fourth place in the 2020 Summer
Cup at Uttoxeter, since when he has switched yards and joined Dan Skelton.
Padleyourowncanoe made his debut for his new trainer in a handicap hurdle at Haydock last month, where he outran odds of 50-1 to finish a promising third after well over a year off the track.
That run will have presumably brought him on a good deal and he returns to the chasing game on a mark of 135, which is certainly workable.