Alan King admits Hold On Julio’s progress has come as a surprise ahead of his run in Saturday’s Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster.

A return to his beloved Cheltenham is on the cards for Midnight Chase following his highly creditable run in defeat in the Rowland Meyrick Chase at Wetherby on St Stephen's Day.

Midnight Chase remains firmly on course for a trip to Wetherby on December 26 after heading 21 entries for the Betfair-sponsored Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase.

KAUTO STONE and Wishfull Thinking were among half a dozen defectors from the William Hill King George VI Chase at Kempton on Stephen’s Day.

Noel Fehily is confident a lack of race fitness will not be a problem for Michel Le Bon after riding his Hennessy Gold Cup mount in a schooling session on Tuesday morning.

Wayward Prince, one of last season‘s top novice chasers, is likely to make his seasonal reappearance in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury later this month.

LONG RUN and Kauto Star are the headline names among 19 entries for the Betfair Chase at Haydock on November 19.

IT’S a funny old game, this racing. Jessica Harrington and Robert Power were down in the dumps, following the unlucky defeat of Oscars Well in the Neptune, but about 45 minutes or so later their entire world had changed.

THE leading contenders have stood their ground for the sportinbet.com Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival next Wednesday.

CHARLES BYRNES has confirmed it is “more than likely” stable star Solwhit will bypass the Cheltenham Festival in favour of a trip to Aintree in April.

GORDON ELLIOTT will be delighted if Chicago Grey can sneak into a place in today’s Fort Leney Novice Chase at Leopardstown.

The flowering partnership between Paul Nicholls and Noel Fehily continued apace at Cheltenham when Sam Winner (4-1) ran out an easy victor of the JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial, the first race on Paddy Power Gold Cup day.

Dougie Costello enjoyed a red-letter day at Cheltenham with a 28-1 double at the home of National Hunt racing today.

WAYWARD PRINCE provided Dougie Costello with the biggest success of his career in the Grade One Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree yesterday.

Wayward Prince provided Dougie Costello with the biggest success of his career in the Grade One John Smith’s Sefton Novices’ Hurdle.