Tommy’s Oscar set for success

Ann Hamilton’s Tommy’s Oscar can post a second victory over fences in an intriguing running of the Weatherbys nhstallions. co.uk Graduation Chase at Carlisle.

The gelding enjoyed a superb hurdles campaign last year, winning a series of good handicaps before landing the Grade Two Haydock Champion Hurdle trial by five lengths in January.

He then headed to the Cheltenham Festival to line up in the Champion Hurdle where he was ninth of 10 against the very best in the division.

A switch to fencing was afoot over the summer and the results of his schooling were seen when he made his chasing debut over the Carlisle course and distance in October.

In a match race with Donald McCain’s Geromino and giving over a stone in weight to his rival, Tommy’s Oscar prevailed in a photo finish and jumped competently despite being described by connections as “only three-quarters fit”.

He is set a stiffer task at Carlisle this time around but if he can transfer his hurdling class to the steeplechase field he should be poised to win again.

It is Charlie Longsdon’s Alien Storm who appeals in the racingtv.com Novices’ Hurdle, a four-year-old son of Getaway who has looked smart in two starts this season.

Second in a Plumpton bumper in September, he returned to the same track to make a pleasing but green hurdles debut when winning by four and a half lengths over two miles. He looks like a horse at the start of an upward trajectory.

On the Flat at Wolverhampton Roger Varian’s Irregular Warfare can take the first division AWC Maiden Stakes.

By Saxon Warrior and out of three-time Listed winner Artistic Jewel, the colt made his debut at Yarmouth in September and was beaten two lengths by Knight.

That horse then went on to land the Group Three Horris Hill at Newbury.