Helnwein aims to emulate Raya Star and Tritonic in the big handicap hurdle at Ascot on Saturday

December 18

Alan has twice enjoyed a bumper pre-Christmas celebration at Ascot, courtesy of Raya Star and Tritonic, both of whom won the their big handicap hurdle going into the festive period.

And he has fingers crossed that Helnwein might emulate that pair by lifting Saturday’s £100,000 finale, sponsored this year by the local rotary club.

Helnwein produced a career-best performance when runner-up to the much-improved Alexei in the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham last month, and, while the winner was hugely impressive and his trainer, Joe Tizzard, had contemplated running him in the prestigious Christmas Hurdle at Kempton instead, we do meet him on 9lb better terms.

However, Alexei did go to Cheltenham with a fitness edge, having also bolted up over this course and distance two weeks earlier, and Alan is entitled to think that Helnwein, who was making his seasonal debut in the Greatwood, might come on enough to run another big race.

Alan said:”Helnwein has always run his best races either in the first part of the season, or towards the end, but for some reason he hasn’t performed as well after Christmas.

“I was delighted with the way he travelled throughout his race at Cheltenham, and remember he was also second in the Swinton Hurdle at Haydock in May, so, hopefully, he’ll be right there at the finish aga

Talking of Haydock, we have Ernest Gray heading up the M6 on Saturday for the concluding three-mile handicap hurdle. He travelled really well when winning at Aintree in October, jumping to the front at the final flight and beating off five or six challengers up the run-in.

Ernest Gray has improved since undergoing a wind operation this time last year, winning twice and once finishing second in his four subsequent races, so, while like Helnwein, he takes a 4lb hike up the weights, he’ll gallop all day and looks solid each-way material.

Our other Saturday runner is at Wolverhampton’s all-weather meeting, where Luke Catton again rides I’d Go Maniac, on whom he produced an ice-cool performance to win on the six-year-old over this same 12 furlong all-weather track last month.

Only fifth into the straight, Catton did not panic, stuck towards the far rail and conjured a great run from I’d Go Maniac, who got home in a three-way photo-finish. That was the gelding’s first run in a handicap, but if he reproduces that effort he ought to be in the mix again.