Truckers Lodge ran a cracking race to finish a close third over a trip short of his best in the Class 1 Swinley Chase at Ascot on Saturday. Next up for him in March is the Midlands National at Uttoxeter which he won in great style two years ago.

The slow pace in the Hunter Chase at Haydock didn’t suit Bob And Co who finished strongly and should be very competitive at Cheltenham.
Saint Calvados was pulled up after he bled in the Betfair Ascot Chase. I wonder if that has been an issue with him before because if you look at his record he has finished his last three or four races weakly.
It could be that he now needs a flat track and drier spring ground to be at his best. If that’s the case then I’ll train him a bit differently much like Tidal Bay and Politologue who had similar problems. Several were not suited by the testing ground over the weekend .
I can’t wait for conditions to improve and am looking forward to the weekend when we will be sending a decent team of horses to Kempton on Saturday and to Fontwell on Sunday.
Lalor and Enrilo will both run in the valuable three mile Coral Trophy Handicap Chase, Pic D’Orhy goes in the Pendil Novice Chase, and I’ll have entries in the Dovecote Hurdle and the Adonis Hurdle.
The following day I’m looking forward to getting Monmiral back on the racecourse at Fontwell in the Grade 2 National Spirit Hurdle.
He was on the easy list after he was struck into behind in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle but has been back in work for a while and did a lovely gallop with Stage Star on the weekend and I’m looking for a good run from Monmiral ahead of a likely tilt at the Aintree Hurdle in April.
For all the latest news on my Saturday runners please be sure to turn to my Betfair column which goes live late on Friday afternoon.