Royal set to Sceau the way

HAS ELITE BACKING Trainer Alan King

SCEAU ROYAL can further vindicate a change of plan by putting his name on the roll of honour again in today’s Unibet Elite Hurdle at Wincanton.

Alan King’s versatile eight- year- old won this race at his first attempt in open company in 2016.

He has returned to Wincanton twice since, for the track’s other Grade Two hurdle over the minimum distance, and on each occasion has finished placed in the Kingwell.

Sceau Royal therefore clearly acts well round this sharp course - and although he has spent the majority of his time in the intervening years admirably contesting top- class two- mile chases, he proved last time out that a switch to this discipline suits him.

He was a convincing winner of the Welsh Champion Hurdle on his first start of the season at Ffos Las last month.

The conditions of this race, as well as the track configuration, play to his strengths – because he is due to receive weight from two of his five rivals.

Goshen is a surprise absentee in a race his trainer Gary Moore had long nominated as the Champion Hurdle hope’s jumps comeback - leaving Sceau Royal to add to his already fine CV.

The Badger Beers Silver Trophy Handicap Chase is fiercely and typically competitive.

A case can be made for any number, and many will be touting Paul Nicholls’ likely favourite Danny Whizzbang, but it may be worth siding with Some Chaos at decent odds.

Michael Scudamore’s course- and- distance winner has a significant ground preference - and the relatively lively surface forecast here for the time of year is just fine.

He can be clumsy, and of course that can be costly in a race of this nature. But that concern is factored into his price - and after overcoming one or two sloppy jumps to prevail at Kelso last time, he arrives in winning form.