Hot To Trot: Only Fools and Kings for Brisland

Flat trainer: Hugo Palmer

As the graph below demonstrates, the Hugo Palmer yard was operating under a bit of a cloud at times during the summer. However, the horses have been running much better in recent weeks, including Apphia, who produced a career best to win a Group 3 at Newmarket's Cambridgeshire meeting, having previously finished only fourth in a handicap at Chester.  

Banish is another horse to have bounced back from some below-par efforts with a comfortable success at Kempton recently, doing quite well to overcome a steady pace. He is clearly not the most straightforward, but remains potentially well treated from just 3 lb higher in the weights, and will be of interest if lining up at Kempton next week (entered on Monday and Wednesday). Meanwhile, others to keep on the right side include Delsheer, who stepped up on his debut effort when third at Sandown last time and should have more to offer with three entries next week, and last month's impressive maiden winner Corrosive (also entered at Kempton on Wednesday).

Jumps trainer: Alan King

This is an exciting time of year for National Hunt enthusiasts, with some of the best jumpers in training beginning to make their seasonal returns. Alan King took the wraps off last season's Champion Hurdle sixth Sceau Royal, who looks a very good recruit to chasing, at Warwick on Thursday, and the trainer will be hoping to carry his fine form of late into the winter months.

Dusky Legend has finished placed in each of the last two renewals of the Dawn Run Mares' Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, and could make her own chasing debut at Worcester on Thursday. Likeable and consistent, she looks sure to give a good account if taking to the larger obstacles. Stockburn has a proper jumping pedigree (half-brother to fairly useful chaser Coeur Joyeux), and will be worth a market check if making his Rules debut in the bumper at Towcester on Wednesday, while Mahlermade showed ability when fifth on debut in a similar event at Stratford in April. He, along with stablemate Deyran de Carjac, could also line up at Worcester next week.

Under the radar: Robyn Brisland

Fools And Kings has been a good servant to the in-form Robyn Brisland yard this season, and took his record to two wins from four starts when overcoming a troubled passage to score at Chepstow last month. He remains open to more improvement and is one to take seriously if lining up at Leicester on Tuesday, especially if faced with a well-run race at the trip. Fulham, on the other hand, was beaten a short head when attempting to record his second victory of 2017 at Lingfield recently, just failing after getting a bump from the winner close home. That still represented the best effort of his short career to date, and he will be of definite interest if attempting to go one better at Ayr on Thursday. Finally, Beckton shaped well when second on debut at Haydock last month, and should give a good account if making the expected progress at Newcastle on Tuesday.