Nacarat heads Post weights

NACARAT has been left to shoulder top weight should he make his third consecutive appearance in the Racing Post Chase at Kempton on Saturday.

Tom George’s grey won this three-mile handicap in 2009 and was runner-up to Razor Royale 12 months ago.

He was last seen finishing fourth to Long Run in the King George VI Chase last month and would be having his first race since he had a small wind operation.

With the original top weight What A Friend now withdrawn, Nacarat heads the handicap on 11st 12lb after 19 horses were left in at the five-day stage.

Razor Royale could try to repeat last year’s win and he, along with Crescent Island and Beat The Boys, is among three from the Nigel Twiston-Davies stable.

Paul Nicholls has left in Fistral Beach and Free World, while Colin Tizzard can choose from Hey Big Spender and Mount Oscar.

Other trainers who are double-handed are Philip Hobbs with Quinz and Mostly Bob, and David Pipe with Piraya and Matuhi.

Richard Rowe’s Tatenen, Donald McCain’s Sagalyrique and the Nicky Henderson-trained Polyfast are among other interesting entries.

Alan King will wait to see how Bakbenscher continues to recover from his recent outing before deciding whether to let him take his chance.

The eight-year-old only won at Exeter last Monday, having having finished third to Wishfull Thinking just two weeks earlier.

“I’ve left him in, but I’ll see how he is. It’s only going to be 13 days since his last run. I would like to go there if we’re happy with him,” said the Barbury Castle trainer.

“He had a canter on Saturday but we will just see how he is over the next few days.”

Nacarat is said to be in good form, but connections were not too happy with news the Sunbury course had been watered last week.

“He has been working well and we will be hoping for a dry week,” it was reported on the trainer’s official website, www.tomgeorgeracing.co.uk.

Meanwhile, Charlie Longsdon is hoping his decision to save Minella Boys for the totesport.com eider Chase at Newcastle on Saturday proves the correct one.

The trainer believes four miles and a furlong on heavy ground will play to the nine-year-old’s strengths.

Minella Boys was a gallant second to West End Rocker in the Classic Chase at Warwick last month and Longsdon was keen to avoid Alan King’s horse in the Grand National Trial at Haydock.

“He missed Haydock last weekend as we didn’t want to take on West End Rocker again even though he didn’t run a great race,” said Longsdon.

“We didn’t really want to take him on as he beat us fairly comfortably at Warwick. I know West End Rocker didn’t go on the ground. He seems in good form and the plan is to go for the Eider. He should like the ground. From what we have always believed, the trip and the ground should suit him.”

The 17 entries for the marathon event are headed by the David Pipe-trained Comply Or Die, who took this prize in 2008 on the way to winning the John Smith’s Grand National.

Other possibles include Howard Johnson’s pair Belon Gale and Companero, Victor Dartnall’s Giles Cross and Irish challenger Noble Concorde from Jim Culloty’s yard in Co Cork.