Hot To Trot: Chuckles can give Loughnane reason to smile

Jumps trainer: Philip Hobbs

Philip Hobbs has enjoyed a typically productive season in 2016/17, saddling a century of winners for the fourth year in succession, and tasting Grade 1 glory at both Cheltenham and Aintree courtesy of the exciting Defi du Seuil. The juvenile is now as short as 7/1 for next year's Champion Hurdle and Hobbs will be hoping he can emulate his 2003 winner Rooster Booster. There is still plenty to keep the trainer occupied in the meantime, however, and he looks set to end the current campaign with a flourish. Hobbs is currently responsible for 14 entries across next week's two-day meeting at Cheltenham and will be hoping for a better show than last time from course specialist, Village Vic. He posted a rare below-par effort when down the field in the Brown Advisory Plate at the Festival, but was placed in each of his three previous starts at Cheltenham this season and should again be thereabouts if bouncing back in Wednesday's Silver Trophy. Meanwhile, Copper Kay holds a choice of engagements at the track on Thursday and will be of interest in whichever race she lines up, having produced the best effort of her career to date when second in a Grade 2 handicap at Newbury last time.

Flat trainer: Clive Cox

Clive Cox enjoyed by far the best season of his training career to date in 2016, with the Lambourn handler surpassing his previous best prize money total by more than £500,000. My Dream Boat and Profitable shared top billing with Group 1 victories at Royal Ascot last June and Cox will be hoping that duo can provide the yard with further success at the highest level this time round, while Harry Angel is the star name among an interesting crop of three-year-olds. Seeking Magic may be out of his depth when mentioned in the same breath as that trio, but he has shown himself to be useful sprinter on his day and is one of several entries for Cox at next week's Craven meeting at Newmarket. He produced his best effort for some time when second on his most recent outing at Wolverhampton in November and remains on a good mark. That comment also applies to Graphite Storm, who was a winner of two of his three starts as a two-year-old last season. He is now 6 lb higher in the weights than when making a successful handicap bow at Newbury in September, but should have more to offer if stepping up to a mile at Newmarket on Thursday and is worth a market check for his in-form yard.

Under the radar: Daniel Loughnane

Daniel Loughnane is another trainer to have enjoyed his best season yet on the Flat in 2016 and he has shown no signs of slowing down this time round, with 11 winners already on the board at this relatively early stage of proceedings. Loughnane switched yards towards the end of March and - while he is yet to saddle a winner from his new base in Worcestershire - the horses have continued to run well. Indeed, four of Loughnane's last five runners have been placed and two of that quartet were beaten by a nose, including the thriving Lord Murphy. He shaped extremely well when beaten by the minimum margin at Wolverhampton last time, running at least as well in defeat as when successful the time before, and simply run down late by one that came from further back. He may do better still after just six starts and is one to be interested in again at Lingfield on Thursday. Mr Chuckles is another going through a good spell at present and he did best of those ridden prominently when placed for the third consecutive start at Wolverhampton last time. He will remain competitive from just 2 lb higher in the weights over the same C&D on Wednesday.