Hot To Trot: The Hills are alive

Flat Trainer: Charles Hills

Charles Hills shares top spot in the Timeform in-form trainers table (on the same figure as Saeed bin Suroor, David O’Meara and Kristin Stubbs) in part thanks to victories for Lord Topper at Chelmsford, Rosarno at Newbury, and Tai Sing Yeh at Lingfield. Hills enjoyed an annus mirabilis in 2015 thanks to the exploits of his three sprinting kings Muhaarar, Magical Memory and Strath Burn, and was always up against it to replicate those achievements this season, however he has picked up over £1m in prize money in 2016. That could increase further thanks to Jersey/Lennox Stakes winner Dutch Connection who has earned his place in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita next weekend. Though well beaten in the Prix du Moulin at Chantilly when last seen, Dutch Connection was fifth in the Mile a year ago and could outrun his likely long odds. Earlier in the week (and closer to home), the most interesting of Hills’ entries is Angel of Darkness who could head to Kempton on Wednesday. She stepped up considerably on her debut when third at Kempton following a 12-week break and remains with potential. There is plenty of stamina on her dam’s side and, while expected to improve further when sent over a mile-plus, she may be able to win over seven furlong this week.

Jumps Trainer: Brian Ellison

Three winners at Sedgefield last Thursday (including in the race his stable sponsored) has contributed to Brian Ellison’s place in this feature, however he is a fine trainer of Flat horses, too, and it is on the all-weather where we begin. I Am Not Here, formerly trained by Tim Jarvis, has already won twice for Ellison in 2016, however his best efforts on Timeform ratings have actually come in defeat on his last two starts. He fared best of those held up in a race in which few landed a blow when fourth at Nottingham last time, and will appreciate the slightly longer trip at Kempton on Monday. Oregon Gift didn’t show anything over hurdles at Musselburgh in January on his debut for Ellison but shaped encouragingly after 10 months off making his Flat debut for the yard at Wolverhampton in October. He could return to the same C&D on Tuesday and a BHA mark of 63 looks very workable. Other interesting entries include Specialv, who could step back up in trip at Redcar on Tuesday, and Stipulate, who, after a spell in Australia in 2014/15, and a fruitless time on the Flat this year, could make his hurdling bow at Musselburgh on Wednesday.

Under the Radar: Graeme McPherson

Coincidentally, both Charles Hills and Graeme McPherson featured in the same August 20^th edition of this feature. The latter had 15 winners in 2014/15 and 17 in 2015/16, but he has already matched that latter figure in 2016/17. He’s clearly a trainer to follow, as supporters of Hey Bill will agree, the horse stepping up markedly on previous form when springing a 25/1 shock in October. Looking ahead, Harry Hunt was a head second at Goodwood when last seen and should fare better than his three most recent starts – beaten a total of 157 lengths – now dropped to a mark of 119. Lingfield runner-up Londonia could potentially run at Kempton on Tuesday night. A sliding handicap mark makes Chepstow entry Beatabout the Bush look potentially interesting, a comment that also applies to Red Admirable who was still going well when falling at Ludlow on his return to action in October.