Hot To Trot: Don't pass the Port

Flat Trainer: Jonathan Portman

With four winners from five runners around the start of this month, there’s little doubt that Jonathan Portman’s string is in good form, with the winners backed up by a series of good performances, including career-best efforts (in defeat) for both Goodnight Girl and Mandalayan earlier in April.

He doesn’t have many entries at present, but Devils Roc is in again at Bath on Monday. She showed improved form, and a willing attitude, to belatedly open her account there on Wednesday, on just her second outing for this yard. She has taken her form up a notch since switching from Charlie Hills and should prove hard to beat over a C&D that doesn’t suit every horse.

Looking further ahead, Orin Swift – despite not being able to add to his tally in four starts last season after a winning reappearance – looked a horse to follow when winning on his first start this term, at Nottingham last month. He’s unexposed over staying trips and, along with the fellow Laurence Bellman-owned Mancini, is a horse to keep on the right side of.

Jumps Trainer: Oliver Sherwood

As the trainer form graph below indicates, now is the time to make hay with runners from the Oliver Sherwood stable, as the yard tend to have quiet periods (like many traditional NH stables) over the summer.

West Street continued his resurgence when following up his Hexham win with victory at Perth last time – perhaps he likes the air up north – and isn’t one to take lightly wherever he turns up next, still unexposed over marathon trips after all, while Millarville showed her stamina was a forte when winning over hurdles at Southwell last time and is a mare to look forward to once stepped up in trip/going over fences.

The useful Flat horse West Coast Flyer is one to watch on the betting – possibly at Kempton or Warwick on Monday – when making his yard/hurdling debut, while Mr Dorrell Sage also has several engagements. He took a step back in the right direction when fifth at Wincanton last time and remains unexposed at further than two miles. Other notable entries include Seaston Spirit who attracted support in first-time blinkers and took a step back in the right direction, shaping pretty well to boot, when third at Chepstow last time; he’s one to keep an eye on now stepping back up in trip.

Under The Radar: James Fanshawe

Wins for the James Fanshawe yard may have been few and far between over the past month, but Timeform’s unique Run To Form algorithm suggests that doesn’t give a true indication of the stable’s form; indeed, over 75% of the yard’s horses have run to form over the past month.

One of those was Praxedis who was well-backed ahead of her reappearance, only for her jockey to find himself in a pocket with nowhere to go over a furlong out. Once switched, Praxedis ran on well and was only beaten a length and three quarters at the line; she’s very much one to keep an eye on, clearly well handicapped on a BHA mark in the mid-50s.

Looking to Fanshawe’s future entries, it’s worth noting that he has saddled four winners from eight runners at Chester over the past five seasons (with no placed horses, for those who were thinking of backing them each-way). That’s enough to sit up and take notice about the entries for Pondus (Wednesday), Higher Power and Master Archer (Friday).

Pondus showed plenty of promise when six and a half lengths fourth to King of Change in a minor event at Nottingham on debut and should be suited by the step up in trip (half-brother to useful winner up to 1½m Mister Belvedere).

Chester Cup entree Higher Power won the Northumberland Plate in 2017 and has been in fair form of late, albeit around 7 lb shy of that career-high. Master Archer produced a rare below-par effort when last seen at York in October, but won twice over a mile at Chester last season and looks tailor-made for this race if scraping in at the foot of the weights.