Cyborgo can resume Martin Pipe's domination of the £45,000 added Coral Welsh National by winning at Chepstow today. This severe stamina test has a wide open look but Pipe, successful five times since 1988, fields an extremely strong squad even by his standards.
Furthermore, Cyborgo, a classy stayer over hurdles, could make up into a Gold Cup horse this term. He was ambitiously pitched into the Cheltenham showpiece as a novice last season but trailed home eighth behind Mr Mulligan. But that was the only blot on his campaign. He had earlier crushed his opponents and bounced back at Aintree when beating The Last Fling three and a half lengths in the Mildmay Novices' Chase.
A relentless galloper who relishes the mud, Cyborgo goes well fresh and will take plenty of stopping. Stablemates Dom Samourai, Evangelica and Indian Tracker are all live dangers and the Nicholashayne trainer could conceivably saddle a 1-2-3.
Pipe's Rainwatch can cement his position as ante-post favourite for the Triumph Hurdle with victory in the Finale Junior Hurdle. A useful middle distance performer for John Dunlop on the Flat, the three-year-old created a very favourable impression when making all to beat subsequent winner Kilbride Lad by six lengths at Newbury on his hurdling debut.
Champion Hurdle hopes are in action in Kempton's Christmas Hurdle and this Grade One event can go to Shadow Leader. He was arguably last season's leading novice with wins in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and the Scottish Champion Hurdle at Ayr to his credit.
Charles Egerton's six-year-old has bypassed recent engagements at Newbury and Cheltenham but is now reported "in very good form" for his reappearance and is taken to beat a small but select field for this £40,000 added event.
Wetherby stages a re-run of Sandown's Tingle Creek Trophy when Ask Tom and Viking Flagship line-up for the Castleford Chase. Tom Tate's eight-year-old came out on top by a head last time and left the impression that he had a little more in reserve. He can once again prove too good for the former Champion Chase winner.
