Hot To Trot: Repeat Lavelle venture on the cards

Flat Trainer - Kristin Stubbs

Kristin Stubbs has a small string of horses but they are running well, a fact highlighted by wins for Bronze Beau, Keene’s Point and Red Paladin over the last month. As well as winners, two-thirds of her horses are running to form and as a result she sits near the top of our most in-form trainers list. Bronze Beau took advantage of a drop in the weights when winning by a neck at Redcar and though the nine-year-old has been beaten twice off a 3 lb higher mark since, he is still well-treated on old (and also fairly recent, having won off a 2 lb higher mark at Hamilton in June) form. Keene’s Point ran below form when third under a penalty at Hamilton, but he has a chance to bounce back at Yarmouth on Tuesday and should appreciate the longer break between races. Roy’s Dream – who was a creditable third when chasing a hat-trick at Hamilton last time – also heads to Yarmouth with a good chance. Stubbs’ third and final entry is Darrington who was picked up after winning a seller at Hamilton last time. He is in at Pontefract on Monday and should be suited by the similarly testing track.

Jumps Trainer – Charlie Mann

This time of year is traditionally a strong period for Charlie Mann, though the same cannot be said for last season when his runners only recorded two wins from 60 attempts between August and December. However, this year is a completely different story. The Mann yard won three races in August, at a faultless 100% strike-rate, and has added five more wins in the six weeks since. One of those was Pickamix who made a winning start on his hurdling debut at Uttoxeter after four months off and who has an entry at Newton Abbot on Thursday. Maid of Milan, a winner at Kempton in June, could head to the same venue, though she also has an alternative West Country engagement at Exeter on Tuesday. Monday’s card at Plumpton could see the appearance of the Extreme Racing Fans, a group of owners that will be cheering on Extreme Impact – a talented if somewhat enigmatic ten-year-old who will be having his first start since leaving Graeme McPherson – and the four-year-old newcomer Chosen Tribe.

Under the Radar – Emma Lavelle

With her last three runners finishing seventh, sixth, and pulled-up, some eyebrows may be raised at the inclusion of Emma Lavelle in this feature. However, looking further back over the past month reveals that the majority of her horses have run to form. Pawn Star built on his creditable effort in September when improving again when winning at Exeter last time. He seems sure to do better still and is entered at Worcester on Wednesday; it looks likely to be a stronger race but he should be a good price as a result. Mrsrobin, who ran creditably after seven weeks off at Newton Abbot last time, could also head to Worcester, along with Fortunate George who improved further stepped up in trip when last seen at Wincanton in April, and Parish Business who disappointed last season but is on a tempting mark as a result; he also has an entry at Fontwell on the same day. Exeter entrant Caulfields Venture looks a shadow of the horse who completed a four-timer in 2013/14 and has been pulled up in four of his last six starts. However, it’s worth noting his resurgence at the track when winning this race a year ago and he tends to run well when well-fancied in the betting; Lavelle also won the race 12 months earlier with Court by Surprise.