Hot To Trot: Farm looks a Worthy contender

Flat trainer: Simon Crisford (RTF% = 80%)

With 47 winners on the board at the time of writing, Simon Crisford is unlikely to match the personal-best tally of 70 he recorded in 2018, but the fine form of his string as we head into the final three weeks of the turf season should ensure he pushes on past the half-century before long.

Abwaaq looks a likely contender to help him do just that, having shaped with plenty of promise when third on his debut at Kempton earlier in the month. Indeed, he did well under the circumstances to be beaten just half a length, having been forced to deliver his challenge from further back than ideal, and the greenness he showed under pressure suggests there will be improvement to come with that experience under his belt. He holds a choice of engagements towards the beginning of next week and is one to look out for wherever he turns up.

Similar comments apply to Wise Ruler, who holds entries at Pontefract and Windsor on Monday. Crucially, both those races are over a mile and a quarter, which looks the most suitable trip for him having failed to see out an extra two furlongs when third at Newcastle last time, finding less than looked likely after looming up three furlongs out. That still represented a career-best effort and he is well worth another chance to prove himself better than a BHA mark of 86.

Also worth a mention is Waterfront, who could attempt to follow up last month’s Chelmsford win at Wolverhampton on Wednesday. The son of Cape Cross improved for the step up in trip that day to get off the mark on just his third start in handicaps, and, still relatively unexposed as a stayer, he should continue to give a good account from only 4 lb higher.

Jumps trainer: Paul Nicholls (RTF% = 72%)

As the visualisation below demonstrates, the form of Paul Nicholls went through its usual lull during the summer and into early-autumn, with the yard being even less active than has sometimes been the case. Indeed, Nicholls saddled only 29 runners over jumps in Britain between May and September this year, compared to the 70 he had during the same period in 2018.

It hasn’t taken long for the reigning champion trainer to find his stride as we head into the ‘proper’ jumps season, though, and he has plenty of entries in the coming days as he attempts to build on his good run of late, including eight on Tuesday’s card at Exeter.

Cap du Mathan is one of three (along with Easyrun de Vassy and Eritage) from the yard with the option of running in the maiden hurdle on the card, though he is also entered in a similar event at Fontwell the following day. Wherever he lines up, the son of Kapgarde is well worth a market check, having been put forward as a ‘Dark Horse’ by his trainer in this season’s edition of Horses To Follow, who described him as ‘a lovely young horse who looks sure to win a maiden hurdle and progress’.

Soldier of Love went one step further and made it into our Fifty this term, identifying him as one to keep onside if making his debut for Nicholls in the handicap hurdle that follows the maiden. Previously trained by Fergal O’Brien, he took his form to another level when last seen making a successful handicap bow at Taunton in February, relishing the step up in trip in first-time cheekpieces as he won by six lengths. His revised mark of 113 still has the look of one that his new yard will be able to exploit.

Meanwhile, fellow Fifty member Worthy Farm could make his belated return to action in the limited novices’ handicap chase at Worcester on Wednesday, having been a non-runner when due to line up at Hereford earlier this week. A useful hurdler last term, his background (winning pointer) and physique (good-topped gelding) point to him climbing higher still as a chaser, and it will be disappointing if he doesn’t prove much better than his opening mark in this sphere.

Under the radar: Amanda Perrett (RTF% = 72%)

Tuesday marked the 19-year anniversary of Amanda Perrett’s last success at the highest level – courtesy of Indian Lodge in the Prix de la Forêt – and the West Sussex trainer will be hoping to belatedly add to her Group 1 tally before the 20 comes up, with Lavender’s Blue appealing as a suitable candidate if kept in training at four.

An impressive winner of the Atalanta Stakes at Sandown in August, Lavender’s Blue acquitted herself with great credit when stepped back up in grade for the Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket last time, not looking entirely at home on the track and ultimately getting into full stride too late to land a blow, appearing to finish with running left in fourth (beaten only three and a quarter lengths). On that evidence, she wouldn’t be out of place in the big mile races against her own sex in 2020, with the prospect of even more to come.

Billesdon Brook returns to the scene of her greatest triumph to win the Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes

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That effort was one of the main talking points during what has been a productive spell for the Perrett team, and they will be hopeful of continuing the good work if Dutch Story takes up his entry in the seven-furlong handicap at Yarmouth on Tuesday. He was beaten just a head over the same C&D last Monday, pulling a long way clear of the remainder, and a repeat of that form is likely to be good enough to go one better if turned out quickly, given he escapes a penalty.

Another to note is Banksy’s Art, who is entered at Windsor on Monday and Yarmouth on Tuesday at the time of writing. Admittedly, he failed to meet market expectations when well held at Brighton last time, but his two previous runs for this yard were not devoid of promise, notably going down by less than two lengths at Windsor in August, and he is now only 1 lb higher than when winning at Chepstow in May for Mick Channon.