Raffles all ready to roll at Doncaster

Nicky Henderson looks set for another fruitful Saturday afternoon with Fusil Raffles the pick to highlight a high-profile treble in the Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster tomorrow.

The Seven Barrows handler took the Town Moor highlight with Ok Corral in 2020 and in Fusil Raffles he fields a classy performer who has more than held his own in graded company to date.

Fusil Raffles was a fortunate victor in the Charlie Hall at Wetherby back in October, when Shan Blue crashed out with the race at his mercy, but Fusil Raffles nevertheless kept on all the way to the line on his first try at three miles, suggesting that his best may yet be still to come over that trip. Switched back to two and a half miles at Cheltenham and in handicap company, he did not look quite so comfortable, with the quicker pace finding him out a bit rather than his mark of 152.

The handicapper has seen fit to ease him by 1lb though, which is a definite plus over this three miles, as is the likely good ground, with Fusil Raffles showing more than once he enjoys a sound surface.

Elsewhere at Doncaster, it will be a shock if Third Time Lucki cannot regain the winning thread in the Lightning Novices’ Chase after a Grade One disappointment last time, while Irish raider Mahler Mission can take home the honours in the Albert Bartlett River Don Novices’ Hurdle over a trip sure to suit.

Henderson is much more likely to be at Prestbury Park than Town Moor as his Cheltenham Festival hopefuls, Champ and Chantry House, strut their stuff.

Champ is hard to oppose in the Welsh Marches Stallions At Chapel Stud Cleeve Hurdle after a sterling comeback effort in winning the Long Walk at Ascot.

The 10-year-old reverted to hurdles following a disappointing, if limited, campaign over fences last term and it looked an inspired decision as he was just too good for Thyme Hill in winning by just under two lengths.

Returning from 274 days on the sidelines, Champ can be expected to improve for the outing and cement his Stayers’ Hurdle credentials.

It is hard to be quite as confident in stablemate

Chantry House, who lines up in the Paddy Power Cotswold Chase after disappointing as favourite in the King George last time. He was never travelling or jumping at Kempton and Henderson felt possibly the track just did not suit the eight-year-old, with Nico de Boinville pulling up him when it became obvious he was fighting a losing battle.

Chantry House was nevertheless a dual Grade One winner as a novice, landing the Marsh at the Festival when

Envoi Allen came a cropper while he was left in front in the Mildmay at Aintree when Espoir De Romay fell.