Maurice Phelan is confident Portrait King is in the form of his life as the Irish raider bids for a second victory in the Betfred Eider at Newcastle today.

Gordon Lord Byron will be prepared for a trip to Hong Kong in December after a potential Breeders’ Cup mission failed to materialise.

Paul Nicholls has won the RSA Worcester Novices’ Chase at Newbury with a few reasonable staying types and Just A Par looked another from the same mould.