Hot to Trot: King dreaming of more juvenile success at Chepstow

Flat trainer: David O’Meara

The 2016 Flat season hasn’t been the easiest for David O’Meara. After moving from a base that had been the launch pad for three consecutive three-figure winner hauls (136 in 2013, 112 in 2014 and 222 in 2015) and strike-rates in those seasons of 15%, 13% and 13%, respectively, his current total for 2016 stands at 78, while his strike-rate is down to 10% overall. There are still nearly three months of the year left for O’Meara to break the 100-winner barrier again, however, and it would be folly to think that he won’t, especially given that he seems to be enjoying a particularly good spell in recent weeks. With five winners since the start of the month (up until before racing on Saturday) and several other runners making the frame, O’Meara may well be reaching that total sooner rather than later. One of his newer recruits is Marbooh, who didn’t make much impact on his first start for the yard since leaving Charles Hills at Haydock at the beginning of September. It is worth remembering that his sole win/best effort on Timeform ratings for Hills came on the all-weather at Newcastle, however, and he looks worth a second look in the 18:25 at Chelmsford on Monday.

Jumps trainer: Alan King

Alan King has enjoyed a very successful Flat season during 2016 and is seemingly carrying on that good form into the autumn months with his jumpers. A double at Huntingdon  last Sunday, as well as a clutch of other placed horses in the last week, means that he is currently fighting out top spot in our in-form trainer figures over jumps, and it will certainly be worth keeping an eye on his runners over the coming weeks. The juvenile hurdle on Chepstow’s Persian War card on Sunday has been dominated by Paul Nicholls in recent seasons, with last season’s champion trainer winning four of the last six renewals. King also has a good record in the race, however, winning it with Karezak in 2014 and saddling the first past the post last season (before the stewards adjudged Sceau Royal to have interfered with Nicholls’ Adrien du Pont and he was subsequently demoted to second), as well as the second-placed horses in 2011, 2012 and 2013. Nicholls is represented by interesting pair Dolos and Cliffs of Dover this year, but King saddles an eye-catching Flat recruit in Rainbow Dreamer, who was progressive for on the level over the summer. Rainbow Dreamer is related to the fairly useful hurdler Dalaki and could be worth chancing on his hurdling debut.

Under the radar: Henry de Bromhead

Henry de Bromhead was dealt a big blow before the jumps season proper had even got started when it was announced that Alan and Ann Potts were removing 13 horses – including Grade 2 winning novice chaser Sizing John – from him at the end of the summer. In spite of that, he has been in excellent form throughout September and October, saddling 11 winners and operating at a 30% strike-rate for those months up until before racing on Saturday. de Bromhead was also in rude health this time last season, and won the valuable Munster National (which takes place on Sunday at Limerick) with Sadler’s Risk, who sports Roger Brookhouse's silks. Interestingly, another Brookhouse horse, Stellar Notion – who joined De Bromhead from Paul Nicholls – is one of four de Bromhead horses declared for this year's renewal. Others are On Fiddlers Green, who arrives on the back of a career-best win at the Galway festival, and the J. P. McManus-owned Elegant Statesman, who has won four of his last six completed starts and is unexposed over three miles.