Leave this to Imaginaire
With the Venetia Williams stable in the rudest of health and rising star Sam Thomas booked for the ride, the nine-year-old is the pick in the Saltwell Signs Handicap Chase.
The Quest For Fame gelding made a satisfactory return from a year off the track at Plumpton earlier this month.
He was in front with three jump but not surprisingly tired over the last two fences and eventually finished fourth.
He has been dropped a further 3lb for that effort, though, and today looks the day with his young rider, who really shone on Limerick Boy at the weekend in the Lanzarote Hurdle, taking an additional 5lb off his back.
Lord Moose is worth another chance in the Letheby & Christopher Handicap Chase.
Henry Daly’s 10-year-old was not unfancied on his reappearance at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day but ran well below-par and was pulled up.
His trainer reported afterwards that his charge had been found to be suffering from a skin allergy, though, so the run is probably best forgotten.
That was his first outing since March when he had finished a most creditable second to Killusty at Sandown and prior to that he did little wrong when third to Coole Spirit at Kempton.
Silver Birch should appreciate plenty of cut underfoot in the Letheby & Christopher Beginners’ Chase.
The Paul Nicholls-trained gelding won two out of four starts over timber last season but has always been thought of as the type to make up into a chaser.
He made a satisfactory debut over fences at Exeter but shapes as though he needs a real test and any further rain that falls at the Welsh track will be in his favour.
Joint Authority can follow up a recent course and distance success at Musselburgh.
The nine-year-old, trained by Len Lungo, ran out a convincing four-length winner over Stone Cold at the Edinburgh track.
The outcome was not in doubt from the moment he struck the front in the hands of 3lb claimer Bruce Gibson at the third-last.
He has been put up 8lb for that victory but there should be more to come from the gelding in the Tyninghame Handicap Chase.
Claptrap, winner by 10 lengths of a claiming race here in November, has strong claims in the Bet Direct Through Sky Active Selling Handicap at Wolverhampton.
Roy Brotherton’s four-year-old was beaten a length by Paradise Valley in another claimer over this mile and a half on his latest start and can return to winning ways.
