Ryedale trainer Brian Ellison bypasses Wetherby tomorrow in favour of travelling to Sandown to bid for the feature race of the day with one of the most exciting young chasing prospects in the country.
Latalomne, the apple of Ellison's eye, is unbeaten in four races over fences and was a wide-margin winner on his latest outing at Cheltenham when he took apart a field of smart handicappers.
Tomorrow he steps up to the top flight to take on the likes of Edredon Bleu and Flagship Uberalles in the £80,000 Mitsubishi Shogun Tingle Creek Chase.
To clinch this Grade 1 contest Latalomne will need to post a peformance which far exceeds anything he has achieved to date. But Ellison is bullish about his chances of lowering the colours of proven star Edredon Bleu, not to mention Flagship Uberalles, winner of this race for the last two years.
The head tells you that Edredon Bleu will win, but the heart - or certainly Ellison's heart - suggests Latalomne can register a shock victory. Here's bowing to his judgement and hoping that he's right.
The feature race at Wetherby honours the achievements of ten-times course winner Cumbrian Challenge.
The £15,000 Cumbrian Challenge Handicap Chase has attracted a good field, headed by Nap selection Banker Count, who looks capable of conceding weight all round.
An impressive winner over this course and distance last month, Mick Easterby's charge went on to finish a close second to Kingsmark at Haydock, where Behrajan, just beaten in last week's Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup, finished third.
The Fund For Epilsepsy Novices' Chase, sponsored by Peter and Marjorie Easterby, who have a granddaughter with epilepsy, is the target for October Mist.
Mary Reveley's gelding beat the odds-on Barton (trained by Tim Easterby, Peter's son) on this course on his chasing debut, before suffering an odds-on defeat himself at Ayr. Howeever, October Mist remains an exciting prospect.
Gralmano, who has won both his starts in novice company, bids to complete a hat-trick against more seasoned campaigners in the Constant Security Services Handicap Hurdle. Kevin Ryan's gelding should make a spirited assault in the hands of Adie Smith.
At Chepstow, See More Business is fancied to return to action in a blaze of glory in the Tote John Hughes Rehearsal Chase. The former Cheltenham Gold Cup winner is nearing the end of his career but remains a potent force and should give Timmy Murphy a winning ride.
Tomorrow's tips:
Sandown
12.45 The Land Agent, 1.20 Bobosh, 1.55 Fondmort, 2.30 Latalomne, 3.05 Mirjan, 3.40 Doublet.
Wetherby
12.35 Silver Socks, 1.10 October Mist, 1.40 Banker Count (Nap), 2.15 Junkanoo, 2.50 Weaver George, 3.25 Gralmano.
Chepstow
12.30 Hitman, 1.00 Narrogin, 1.30 Murt's Man, 2.00 Il Capitano, 2.35 See More Business, 3.10 Bunratty Castle, 3.45 El Divino.
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