Ellison’s King of May can rule at Newcastle in November
● Saint Calvados heads Betvictor field
Brian Ellison has his string in fine fettle and The King Of May can prove the point by taking the Parklands Golf Club Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase at Newcastle.
The five-year-old was the 20-1 outsider of seven when scoring on his debut over fences at Carlisle, but there was no fluke about it.
He travelled and jumped well all the way and won more easily than the half-length verdict over subsequent winner Esprit Du Large would suggest.
Mr Love can defy a 7lb penalty for a facile success at Huntingdon in the Certax Durham Handicap Hurdle.
The Dan Skelton-trained seven-year-old pulled clear of the opposition from the last two flights and crossed the line 15 lengths to the good.
The handicapper has put him up 14lb for that victory which is why he is running again quickly and Skelton has cancelled out the penalty by booking a 7lb claimer, William Marshall, and he has ridden him in the past.
The rules debut of Jeremy Pass is of note, too, in the concluding Logico Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race.
The four-year-old represents champion trainer Paul Nicholls and, intriguingly, owner John Dance – better known for the exploits of his Flat string, including the hugely admirable multiple Group One winner Laurens.
Dance takes to the floor with this jumping recruit, at his local track, and Jeremy Pass has fine credentials for his bumper assignment, having been about to challenge a subsequent Henderson recruit when he fell at the last on his only previous racecourse appearance in an Irish point eight months ago.
Zamoyski can make his fitness count after several runs on the Flat, on his switch back to jumps in the Free Race Replays On Attheraces Handicap Hurdle at Southwell.
The nine-year-old, trained by Steve Gollings, is a dual winner over this extended two and a half miles and had his latest outing on the level only last week.
Anthony Honeyball turns Jepeck out again in the Free Tips Daily On attheraces.com Novices’ Hurdle, only two days after his facile win at Bangor.
A longer rest will very much be in order for the majority of those who battled through the mud in North Wales on Wednesday. But the wellbacked Jepeck scored with such ease, despite jumping to the right as he always seems to, that this swift return may well prove no problem at all as Honeyball explores a lucrative new avenue with the tenyear-old. The former hunter will be going left-handed again, at another sharp track, but curiously both his wins under rules have come this way round.
The Skelton stable can seal an across-the-card double with Very First Time at the Nottinghamshire track.
The seven-year-old was putting in his best work at the finish when beaten less than two lengths in third place behind Beautiful Ben over two miles and three furlongs at Market Rasen.
Very First Time had run further regularly in the past and that was only his second start for the Alcester handler since being bought out of Tim Easterby’s yard. This three miles will be more up his street.
Meanwhile, Saint Calvados heads a maximum field of 20 for the Betvictor Gold Cup at Cheltenham on Saturday, following the 48-hour final declaration stage.
Harry Whittington’s sixyear-old made a pleasing start to the campaign when defying top weight of 11st 12lb in a two-mile handicap chase at the Prestbury Park venue last month.
The Colin Tizzard-trained Slate House remains favourite for this valuable prize, after staking his claim when making a winning reappearance at the same meeting.
Among other fancied runners are Siruh Du Lac, Spirit of the games, Count Meribel and Magic Saint.
Splash Of Ginge will bid to repeat his success in 2017, while Guitar Pete tries to improve on his third place 12 months ago.