Hot To Trot: Keep Cumani on side

Flat: Luca Cumani

Chocolate Box became Luca Cumani's 30th winner in Britain this season when winning on Thursday evening at Chelmsford, and the yard are on track to better their 2016 total of 38. This season's winners have come from far less runners than last season's total, with a strike-rate of 19% this term compared to 15% in 2016, and the yard's runners are well worth following as we head towards the end of the Flat season. This period is usually a fruitful time for Cumani (as the graphic below suggests) and with four winners from his first six runners in September, the trend looks set to continue. Some of his more interesting entries early next week include Spinnaka, who is set to make her handicap debut at Brighton on Monday, and Near Kettering, who got back on track at Newmarket last time and may run in a handicap at Leicester on Tuesday.

Jumps: Fergal O'Brien

Fergal O'Brien nearly doubled his total number of winners from 2015/16 last season, reaching 60 by the end, and early signs are that he is going to be a trainer to keep firmly on the right side of as the new jumps season progresses, currently operating at a strike-rate of 19% in 2017/18, slightly up on his average from last season (18%). The yard had their first Flat winner on Thursday at Salisbury, but jumps winners have been coming thick and fast, too, with four winners from 16 runners in August. The yard's entries early next week include Tangolan, who is heading up to Perth, a track where he has been successful twice already this season. He possibly wasn't over his Market Rasen fall when last seen at the beginning of August and is the type to bounce back after a short break. Later on in the week Viva Steve may run in the Kerry National at Listowel. He shaped promisingly on his first two starts for the yard last season (won at Ayr and then didn't get home in the Classic Chase at Warwick) and would be an interesting British raider in the race.

Under The Radar: Marcus Tregoning

It seems strange to think that Marcus Tregoning has never featured in our 'Hot To Trot' column, but after a slow early part of this season (as the graphic below shows) he is in excellent form at present, with two winners already in September, adding to a couple at the end of August (with two of those four running career-bests). Tregoning has Mukalal entered in a handicap on the first day of Doncaster's St Leger meeting on Wednesday. Mukalal has won twice already this season but has only managed to make the frame on his last three starts, despite posting improved form. He did best of those ridden close up at Goodwood last time, and could have a bigger effort still in his locker. Noble Behest is another of the yard's horses who is progressing well, and he goes in search of his hat-trick on Wednesday at Kempton, having won at Chelmsford and Thirsk recently.