Mount Olympus continues his Barbury climb at Kempton tonight

October 11

One of Alan’s less-publicised success stories this summer has been the phenomenal improvement he has found for last winter’s recruit Mount Olympus, who attempts to try and make it four wins from five starts since he joined the Barbury team when he lines up at Kempton this evening.

Victory on the Sunbury course in May has been followed by successes at Leicester and Goodwood, and Mount Olympus, who was rated 56 when he arrived here, has rocketed up the scale to a mark of 72.

Mount Olympus has been a real money-spinner for the Ponsonby racing syndicate – how proud would the much-lamented Henry be ? – and, while tonight’s race looks very competitive, he did win a Grade higher race at Nottingham two years ago, so we are hoping he’ll be in the mix again. James Doyle rides.

We are back on the all-weather tomorrow evening when Robin Mathew’s home-bred filly Haughty, a winner at Salisbury two outings ago, attempts to make it third time lucky on an artificial surface when she runs at Chelmsford.

Haughty is back in the bottom Grade in which she won at Salisbury, though she has since run well in better company at Kempton last time, finishing a respectable fifth after trying to run the opposition ragged with her front-running tactics.

Earlier in the afternoon Vivid Pink makes her jumping debut in a mares maiden hurdle at Exeter. Also home-bred by Dr Anne Gillespie, Vivid Pink ran by far her best race yet when chasing home the hotpot One Colour at Market Rasen last time. She settled well in the hood, so, hopefully, she will do herself justice if she takes to the hurdles.