CHELTENHAM

 3:00 G2 Unibet International Hurdle

Call Me Lord (James Bowen)

He won this last year and got beaten in quite a tactical race at Ascot last time when the winner was given a great ride from the front by Nico. The drop back in trip is an obvious plus and he won’t have any issues with the ground.

Verdana Blue (Nico de Boinville)

She is becoming much more versatile as she gets older and I am inclined to think that she doesn’t actually have to have the ground quite as quick as she used to. She is a talented mare who had a very fruitful summer and to be quite honest with you I really think she has a genuine chance in this. Yes, it’s a very competitive renewal and is a Grade One in all but name but she receives plenty of weight from her male counterparts and is certainly no back number.

12:40 Novices’ Chase

Fusil Raffles (Daryl Jacob)

He hated the ground last time so I’m happy to draw a line through that and I’m really excited to be stepping him up in trip because I think a two and a half is right up his street. Daryl came and schooled him the other day and he was excellent so I see no reason why he can’t go well.

Chantry House (Nico de Boinville)

We were going to go back at Ascot over 2m3f but I’m really keen to step him up to this trip and after warming to the task last time I was really impressed with his Chase debut because this is what he was always going to do. We schooled him on Tuesday and he was very good so I’m extremely happy with him coming into this. He is a very exciting novice chaser going forward.

1:50 Caspian Caviar Gold Cup

Champagne Mystery (Nico de Boinville)

He has an excellent record first time out so we have deliberately kept him fresh for this race and I hope the Trevor Hemming’s luck continues for another week after the likes of Cloth Cap et al and while this is quite ambitious he has some very good form and I think there could still be plenty left for him to give. His work has been very good, as has his jumping, and while I’m not a betting man I certainly wouldn’t put you off backing him each way.

HEREFORD

2:32 Handicap Hurdle

Fugitives Drift (Jerry McGrath)

Things didn’t really go right for him at Newbury last time and he simply didn’t get the trip but he’s much better than that so we’re going back down in distance and have given him a couple of days to freshen up which seems to have worked because he’s absolutely bouncing. This is the first meeting of the season at Hereford so the ground will be beautiful and he goes there with a very big chance.