Edwardstone has to give weight away all round in the Desert Orchid at Kempton on Friday

December 24

Edwardstone was long odds-on when he threw in an uncharacteristic bad jump and hit the ground in Kempton’s Desert Orchid Chase two years ago, but, whereas it was a Grade 2 race then, Friday’s renewal is now a handicap and he has topweight. It will be interesting to see how he fares just five days before he celebrates his 11th birthday.

However, Alan is looking forward to the race, acknowledging “Edwardstone has earned the weight he’ll have to carry, but it was always the plan to come here and, though it is a competitive race, he is none the worse for his unfortunate fall in the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown earlier in the month.”

Reflecting on that tumble on the Esher slopes, Alan added:”It was just one of those things. He got in a bit tight, and it was too far out to speculate what might have happened had he stood up.

“But I’m pleased to say that Edwardstone has worked well since and his schooling has also been great. There aren’t that many races around for the top two mile chasers, so, while it will be tougher trying to defy a mark of 163 in a handicap, I’m happy to take our chance.”

Alan is also excited about our useful Flat racer Midnight Rumble kick-starting his jumping career in the juvenile hurdle at Kempton. He said:”Midnight Rumble won over 10 furlongs at Lingfield and was then runner-up twice at Sandown, but he then had a problem with a tooth, which required surgery, so we have had to be patient, allowing him to recover fully.”

The drying weather has also enhanced Alan’s hopes about Big Boy Bobby, who is back in action off bottom weight in the two-mile handicap hurdle. He was second in this race two years ago and has been working well on the run up to this return after 20 months off.

Mount Olympus is also on the comeback trail in the mile and six handicap on the Flat at Wolverhampton. He won three races in four months in the summer of last year, at Kempton, Leicester an Goodwood, but a pelvic injury has kept him off since the spring. He has shown he is equally effective on polytrack as he is on turf, so it will be good to get him rolling again.

Surprisingly, Masaccio struggled throughout to lay up with the leaders in the Grade 1 Kauto Novices’ Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day, but we hope that another of our promising young chasers Menaggio can get us back on track in the novice handicap at Newbury on Saturday.

Alan said:”Menaggio is a hat-trick after two comfortable wins over fences at Plumpton, but both were three-runner affairs and this will be a very different test. However, Menaggio is clearly progressing and I’m confident that he will step up again for the step up to two miles and six, and if he does he ought to be competitive.”

Star Time makes his jumping debut in the introductory hurdle at Newbury. He has won two of his four races on the Flat and has schooled well in preparation for this,”