Follow Road to glory with Smith’s charge

Nine-year-old can handle 5lb weights hike

Sue Smith can claim another handicap highlight as RAVENHILL ROAD looks the pick in a tricky Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster.

The Bingley handler was on the mark with Vintage Clouds at Haydock last weekend and Ravenhill Road, who was last seen when winning at the Merseyside venue, has strong claims in the Listed feature on Town Moor.

Ravenhill Road posted some decent efforts at novice level when trained by Brian Ellison and has not made a bad start for Smith this season.

Second at Wetherby on his seasonal bow, a few jumping errors cost him dearly when disappointing the next time, but he roared back to form when finding plenty at the finish at the end of last month.

A winner over three miles in his pointto-point days, Ravenhill Road has not actually tackled the trip under rules over fences yet, but it could well be a longer distance ekes out a bit more improvement.

Racing off a 5lb higher mark he will have to step up, but the nine-year-old remains quite unexposed in this kind of company.

It is a big day of festival trials, at both Doncaster and Cheltenham, with Nicky Henderson giving a few hopefuls a spin.

MISTER FISHER represents Seven Barrows in the Grade Two Napoleons

Casino & Restaurant Owlerton Sheffield Lightning Novices’ Chase, after winning over half a mile further when last seen at Cheltenham.

Dropping back in distance may not be absolutely ideal, but he appears to be learning with every run.

FLORESSA also flies the Henderson flag in the Yorkshire Rose Mares’ Hurdle, with a recent Newbury Listed win suggesting she could be up to scratch in this division.

Henderson’s day will likely hinge on SANTINI though, as the Gold Cup hopeful goes on trial in the Paddy Power Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham.

His novice campaign was a bit of a bumpy road, with a disappointing Kempton run followed by a missed outing due to the equine flu outbreak and a schooling mishap days before Cheltenham resulting in something of a race to get him fit in time.

Santini nevertheless ran a cracker to finish second in the RSA and was widely expected to advertise his Gold Cup potential on his return at Sandown in November.

He made rather hard work of winning, in truth, but Henderson expects significant progress for the outing and returning to Cheltenham should be in his favour.

PAISLEY PARK dominated the staying hurdle sphere last season and he can put the seal on preparations for his title defence in the galliardhomes.com Cleeve Hurdle.

He beat Thistlecrack by just a length at Newbury in November, but given he was conceding 6lb and trainer Emma Lavelle had made no secret of the fact he would progress, it was a likeable return.

Deep ground at Ascot scuppered his pre-christmas run, but he looks a worthy favourite.

SELECTIONS

CHELTENHAM: 12.40 Rowland Ward, 1.15 Imperial Aura, 1.50 Warthog, 2.25 Santini, 3.00 Harry Senior, 3.35 Paisley Park, 4.10 We Run The Night.

DONCASTER: 12.20 Successor, 12.55 Mister Fisher, 1.30 Very First Time, 2.05 Boss Man Fred, 2.40 Floressa, 3.15 RAVENHILL ROAD (NAP), 3.50 Burren Walk.

LINGFIELD: 12.00 I Hear Thunder, 12.35 Collette, 1.10 Pirate King, 1.45 River Song, 2.20 Power Link, 2.55 Le Reveur, 3.30 Passing Nod, 4.05 The Groove.

DOUBLE: Ravenhill Road and Floressa.