Hot To Trot: King Dare Win

Jumps trainers:

Alan King

As the graph below demonstrates, Alan King is in cracking from at present, and given the amount of entries he has in the coming days, he is a trainer to follow.

Sandown host a good card on Sunday and Bastien, who won a couple of novices last season, is potentially well treated now entering handicaps on his return and could get King off to a good start in the first race. Later on the card, useful bumper winner Second Time Around should also go well switched to hurdles. His dam is a half-sister to smart hurdler/very smart chaser (stayed 2½m) Defy Logic, so Second Time Around should get further in time, but this looks an ideal starting point. The listed intermediate chase is the feature on the card and Label des Obeaux looks up against it facing the exciting Might Bite, but he should strip fitter for his reappearance last month and give a good account. At Kempton on Monday, Saint Contest could have his second start over fences, and he is well worth another chance after the saddle slipped last time. Who Dares Wins may also run at on the same card and he could be a handicapper to follow this season over hurdles, having had another productive summer on the Flat.

Fergal O’Brien

Cap Soleil was mightily impressive when maintaining her unbeaten record under Rules on her hurdles debut at Newbury this week and she looks a most exciting prospect for Fergal O’Brien. He is in top form in general at the moment, though, and has some interesting runners in the coming days. Creevytennant won twice over fences earlier in the year and ran well on his belated debut over hurdles at Perth in September. He is set to return to fences at Sandown on Sunday - he remains fairly treated, just 2 lb above his last winning mark, and should continue to give a good account. O’Brien has had three bumper winners in the last month and, as the table below shows, he has a very healthy profit in that sphere in the last five years.

Mercy Mercy Me is set to make his debut in the last race at Sandown and commands respect, despite it looking a hot bumper on paper. Barney Dwan ran below form at Exeter this week but could turn out quickly at Kempton on Monday, while Cheltnam de Vaige and Wells Gold both hold an entry in the two and a half mile handicap hurdle at Huntingdon on Tuesday. Cheltnam de Vaige caught the eye when second at Plumpton on his debut for O’Brien and looks the most interesting of the pair.

Under the radar: Tom Lacey

Tom Lacey has been going along nicely for the last couple of months now and is showing no signs of slowing down, Triopas showing improved form to get off the mark at Chepstow on Wednesday. Sword of Fate won twice in the space of five days in October and should go well again at Sandown on Sunday on his handicap debut. He is still open to improvement and has a fair opening mark to operate from, so should go well under Richard Johnson. Also on Sunday, Sir Egbert is set to make his hurdles debut at Ffos Las. He showed ability on his Rules debut in a bumper at Warwick last season and is bred to do better now going jumping. On Monday, Colt Lightning and Kateson could make the trip up north to Carlisle, where the latter would have sound claims if taking her chance in the bumper.