Green light for Amberjam to extend run

RACING: Sherwood’s seven-year-old can continue progress with fifth straight win

AMBERJAM can make it four wins on the bounce and defy another leap up the ratings in the Injured Jockeys Fund Surrey National Handicap Chase at Lingfield.

The seven-year-old is hardly one of Oliver Sherwood’s stable stars as even with a recent 6lb hike in the weights, he is still only rated 108, but he has been making progress at a rate of knots.

He scored the first of three successive wins at Huntingdon in November 2014, but a tendon injury then kept him on the sidelines until New Year’s Eve, when he made a victorious return over hurdles.

Sherwood wasted little time in switching his sights to fences following that success, and Amberjam duly rose to the challenge to win by threequarters of a length.

He looked an unlikely winner as he was all out at the last, but Amberjam showed he has plenty of heart to hang on and has been given the best part of a month to recover from those exertions.

Nicky Henderson’s TAKE TO HEART has shown up well in two bumpers to date so should take some stopping in the Retraining Of Racehorses Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race.

Owned by the Queen, he was beaten three lengths on his debut at Southwell and was then third at Doncaster in November. He has been given plenty of time to strengthen up since then and his family has produced the likes of Open Hearted and Close Touch.

CULTRAM ABBEY might get back to wining ways in the Weatherby Hamilton Handicap Chase at Carlisle.

Just touched off on his return to action at this track, he was beaten a long way by Harry The Viking in the Borders National when he appeared not to get home.

For a 10-year-old having his first run over hurdles for nearly two years last time out he showed up well for a long way at Haydock last time out.

The winner, Dads in trouble, defied a 12lb higher mark on Saturday but Cultram Abbey is better over fences and he goes well at this track. SELECTIONS:

CARLISLE: 2.00 Catamaran Du Seuil, 2.30 Theatre Act, 3.00 Purcell’s Bridge, 3.35 Little Bruce, 4.10 Cultram Abbey, 4.45 On with thep arty, 5.15 Fin And Game.

LINGFIELD: 1.50 Take To Heart, 2.20 Lac Sacre, 2.50 Clonusker, 3.25 Hit her jacques Lady, 4.00 AMBERJAM (NAP), 4.35 Groundun derrepair, 5.05 Man Of Steel.

DOUBLE: Amberjam and Cultram Abbey.

Picture: Getty Images. Paddy Brennan drives Cue Card on to victory in the Betfair Ascot Steeple Chase on Saturday. Colin Tizzard’s 11-year-old stayed on course for a tilt at the Cheltenham Gold Cup next month with an impressive 15-lengths win over Shantou Flyer.