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WITH plenty of rain having fallen on the Prestbury Park track on yesterday, it has done the whether to water or not job for the clerk of course, and freshened the turf and a wee bit more. 

The opening Golden Miller Novices’ Chase (1.30) is hardly worth a mention with only four going to post, but with the fourth guaranteed £9k on completion, I am gobsmacked that several yards haven’t entered no hopers. It only takes one of the leading lights to take a tumble (as Envoi Allen did last year) and your prize at the end of the rainbow rockets up to the best part of £19k!

The big races of the day are split between the Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase (2.50) and the Stayers Hurdle (3.30) with the former looking like a penalty kick for last year’s hero Allaho. On good to soft he would be nigh unbeatable, but if the ground is deeper he becomes a non bet and the each-way call against him would be JANIDIL, second to him in the John Durakan on his seasonal return.

The Stayers looks a deal more tricky, and whoever leads between Flooring Porter and Klassical Dream will probably beat the other, as you do get the sense that whichever one is headed will sulk to a certain degree. Add in the antics of former champion Paisley Park, and we could know the end shape of this stayers event after just a quarter of a mile.

However, in receipt of 7lbs from the boys, I expect ROYAL KAHALA could trump them all. Klassical Dream can be forgiven for his run that day, as in hindsight Mullins thought he ran him too quickly following his Dublin success. But this mare stays well, is a deal more consistent than her market rivals, and we probably haven’t seen the best of her yet with that last win in the Galmoy her only run over three miles.

Of the other races on the card, I will be backing two in the Pertemps Hurdle (2.10) in the form of Alaphillipe, but of even greater interest is REMASTERED, who at the time of writing is the first reserve. Following a promising run in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury his chasing season has gone to pot, but a return to the form over hurdles which saw him finish a staying on third behind Main Fact at Uttoxeter over two-and-a-half miles off a 1lbs lower mark would make him a likely outsider at any kind of price.

The Plate Handicap Chase (4.10) is also of interest and the recent easing in the ground will have been music to the ears of Philip Hobbs and his Celebre D’Allen. Yet he has totally been found in the market place and a better value wager could well be SLATE HOUSE.

He simply didn’t get home over three miles last time out and although it was a fair time ago, he is 3lbs lower than for winning here in 2019 and has shown that he retains plenty of his latent talent, and makes plenty of appeal at the prices with Imperial Alcazar, the obvious other danger.