Frantic Tan can land another big win for Nigel Twiston-Davies's youth policy at Haydock Park today. Novices such as Beau, Captain Dibble, Earth Summit and Young Hustler have all landed big chases for Twiston-Davies in recent years, each taking advantage of a low weight to get the better of more exposed rivals.
Frantic Tan can emulate them, when he has just 10st 4lb to carry in the £100,000 sterling De Vere Gold Cup. The seven-year-old showed he is about to fulfil his early promise when overturning highly-touted Behrajan in a three-mile novice chase at Newbury a fortnight ago. He escapes a penalty as that race was only a class C affair, leaving him very attractively treated.
Conditions are also set fair as Frantic Tan is a thorough stayer who will benefit considerably from this step up to three and a half miles, and the likely soft ground is ideal.
Mr Cool, who disappointed on the same Newbury card a fortnight ago, has just six rivals to beat here and can bounce back to lift the devereonline.co.uk Hurdle.
Struggles Glory, the latest star to emerge from the point-to-point field, can claim the Racing Post Chase at Kempton. The 10-yearold is unbeaten since tried in handicap chases here with promising amateur Ben Hitchott replacing trainer David Robinson in the saddle.
French trainer Francois Doumen has also found this course a happy hunting ground, with five King George VI Chase wins to his credit, and he should be on the mark again with Bilboa.
Nigel's Lad looks weighted for a winning reappearance in the ladbrokescasino.com Handicap Chase at Uttoxeter. The nine-year-old races off a mark only 5lb higher than when scoring at the minimum distance at Wetherby last March.
Norman Mason looks poised for a double at Musselburgh, through Jokers Charm in the Scottish Life Handicap Chase and Red Imp in the Saints & Sinners Club of Scotland "National Hunt" Novices' Handicap Hurdle.