Lad to lift Henderson yard
Copsale Lad can provide Nicky Henderson with a welcome boost by landing the spoils in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham.
The Seven Barrows handler has endured a tough week after stable star Fondmort sustained a sickening injury on the gallops while being prepared for a crack at the extended two-and-a-half-mile handicap.
Fondmort won the race in 2003 and would surely have given his all once more at Prestbury Park this weekend.
While Copsale Lad has not attracted the same following as his better-known stablemate, he appears to hold very sound claims of registering the fifth success of his career.
Having taken a little time to find his feet the previous season, the nine-year-old developed into a seriously good handicapper throughout the last campaign.
After registering two easy successes earlier in the year, Henderson’s charge rounded things off with two excellent efforts in a couple of red-hot races.
He proved himself suited by Cheltenham’s idiosyncrasies when chasing home the well-handicapped Reveillez in the Jewson Novices’ Handicap at the Cheltenham Festival before finishing a close third behind Star De Mohaison at Aintree.
He dismantled a decent field first time out last year so clearly goes well fresh and must be a major player off a perch of 143 if eturning in peak form.
Katchit is fancied to return to winning ways in the Ryman The Stationer Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle earlier on the card.
Alan King’s youngster was a fair sort on the level and two impressive early-season victories over timber clearly showed that he has transferred that ability to the winter game.
While he was unable to maintain his unbeaten National Hunt record when going down fighting to Degas Art last time, Katchit stuck to his task well and only lost out by a length and a half.
That defeat probably represented a further step forward as he was conceding a hefty 8lb to a potentially smart rival and he is taken to confirm himself one of the leading juveniles by grabbing the gold medal here.
Marodima looks a likely type in the Betfred Poker Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle at Uttoxeter.
Oliver Sherwood’s three-year-old had the misfortune to bump into Freeze The Flame on his British debut in October but acquitted himself with great credit to finish a close second.
He duly built on that promise when facing an easier task at Chepstow last time, making most of the running before easing well clear of his rivals to score as he liked.
He looks another decent recruit for the Million In Mind Partnership and ought to take a power of beating here.
Up The Pub should be up to landing his hat-trick in the Freeclaim IDC CIU Raceday Handicap Chase at Wetherby.
Robert Alner’s eight-year-old is no superstar but has the right attitude and gained due reward for a string of consistent efforts when scoring at Chepstow two starts back.
He then followed up at Warwick seven days later and, despite shooting up the weights, he looks the one to be on in what appears a very winnable race.
All-weather action is staged at Kempton, Lingfield and Wolverhampton.
The former venue hosts the best race on offer in the shape of the Listed Digibet Sports Betting Floodlit Stakes, which can go the way of Sir Mark Prescott’s Kiswahili.
This Selkirk filly has run well in similar company recently and promises to find a little improvement for the step up to two miles.
Viking Spirit is expected to reward his followers when he contests the Lingfield Park For Christmas Parties Handicap at the Surrey venue, while Katy Carr can win the European Breeders’ Fund Maiden Stakes at Dunstall Park.
