Hot To Trot: Another O'Brien making headlines

Flat Trainer: Sylvester Kirk

Charlie Hills and Mick Easterby continue to be among the most in-form Flat trainers around, but now challenging them for top honours is Sylvester Kirk, who has saddled three winners and a few placed runners from around a dozen runners this month. It’s actually been one of Kirk’s best years as a trainer since he took out a license in 2001, as his 40 winners (at the time of writing) is his second best ever total behind the 50 he sent out in 2008. It’s also been a bumper year in terms of prize money, thanks largely to the exploits of Neil Simpson’s Newmarket sales race runner-up Simmie and the H. Balasuriya-owned pair of Gawdawpalin and Salouen. The last-named colt has won twice and finished placed in each of the Solario Stakes, Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and Racing Post Trophy from his last five starts. Kirk’s Virile won in September and has shaped well on both his outings since, sure to have finished a bit closer but for meeting trouble at Wolverhampton most recently. He could get another chance of victory at Lingfield on Tuesday and will be hopefully get the strong pace he appreciates. Also engaged on that card are Harmony Bay, Calypso Choir and Mr Marchwood. The last-named pair both ran up to their best at Kempton on their latest outings, with Calypso Choir a close second and Mr Marchwood belatedly getting off the mark.  Mr Marchwood may be of the most interest as he’s unexposed over a mile and a half (dam won up to an extended 14 furlongs).

Jumps Trainer: Gordon Elliott

Gordon Elliott has started the core jumps season in fantastic style, recording 29 winners in Ireland in October (at a +39.82 level-stakes profit) and already well on his way to beating that total this month. One of Elliott’s recent winners was the Gigginstown House Stud-owned Tell Us More who landed a Grade 3 chase at Naas in clear-cut fashion. He looks set to run in the Grade 2 Fortria Chase at Navan on Sunday, though he’ll need to improve to win there, and the stable also has the option of running Cause of Causes and/or The Game Changer. Indeed, it will be a busy weekend for the Elliott yard, and after two days without runners on Monday and Tuesday, they could return with a whole host of runners on Wednesday. These may include Broughtons Star who has not been with the stable long and shaped better than the bare result when six lengths fourth of 16 to Theo in a handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse last Monday, going well when not getting a clear run entering the straight. Others of interest are Champagne Classic, who cost €100,000 after winning his sole start in points and shaped with promise when second of nine to Joey Sasa in a maiden bumper at Galway last month, and Double Scores, who raced too freely upped to three miles on his handicap debut (pulled up) when last seen in March but is bred to be a stayer and should still improve.

Under the Radar: Fergal O’Brien

Backing all Fergal O’Brien-trained horses since the start of the month would have yielded a significant profit to level stakes, and there’s no sign of his good run of form stopping. Yet another example of O’Brien’s skill as a trainer came at Ayr last Wednesday when Viva Steve won the three-mile handicap chase. Viva Steve had plenty of racing for Mick Channon, but he made a smooth winning start for O’Brien (after being bought for £67,000) and could have even more to offer. Viva Steve was fitted with a first-time tongue strap starting out for his new trainer and showed battling qualities as he made all from another improved model this term, Ballyben. It may also be worth remembering that Viva Steve finished second to the subsequent Grand National runner-up The Last Samuri (clear of the rest) at Kempton last Christmas. Other O’Brien horses to look out for this week include I’m Still Waiting, who holds an entry in a valuable sales bumper at Newbury in March and could make his debut at Plumpton on Monday, and Colin’s Sister, who failed to win in bumpers (though did finish a close second in listed company) but got off the mark at the first time of asking over hurdles last month and is entered at Warwick on Wednesday.