THE LAMBOURN trainer Kim Bailey is currently going through a purple patch and his run of success looks set to continue at Southwell today courtesy of Lobster Cottage and Lucky Dollar in the two novice chases.
Lobster Cottage is not the safest of conveyances, indeed he only managed to complete the course once last season and fell on his only outing so far this season.
But the one occasion he did get around resulted in a seven-length victory over Rainbow Walk in a four finisher novice handicap chase over course and distance in May, his last outing of the season.
Although this headstrong eight-year-old returned to his bad habits on his seasonal bow at Ludlow last month the signs were still there that he retains plenty of potential.
Competing in a handicap chase at the Shropshire circuit, Lobster Cottage was well clear of eventual winner Fichu when blundering through the fourth last. Not unnaturally after such a mistake he fell at the next but was seemingly unaffected by the mishap and is worth another chance.
Lucky Dollar may have been fortunate to grab the runner-up spot behind the Sue Smith-trained Mony-Skip in an Ascot novices handicap last month after the last fence fall of Random Harvest.
But he met some useful opposition that day and despite the presence of another inmate of Smith's Bingley yard in Gems Lad he can take the Grenville Chadwick Retirement Novices' Handicap Chase.
Another trainer in the middle of a good run is Tim Forster. He sends Celtino across country to contest the Thames Handicap Chase and the eight-year-old, who was noted staying on from the second last when seventh to Teen Jay on his seasonal bow over timber at Worcester, should oblige.
After a run of seconds Peter Beaumont was relieved to send out a winner yesterday in the shape of Beggars Banquet. The Brandsby trainer can continue the good work courtesy of Island Chief in Catterick's Charles Vickery Memorial Cup (Handicap Chase).
This ex-Irish point-to-pointer looked a tremendous prospect when winning at Ayr just over a year ago. And the signs looked good on his next outing at Kelso where he led until falling at the 12th in a novices' chase.
Beaumont immediately put the gelding away for a year and the rest, plus further schooling over fences should pay dividends and today.
Fin don trainer Josh Gifford sends just one runner down the road to his local course at Fontwell. And Duke of Aprolon can oblige by landing the Norfolk Challenge Cup Novices' Chase.
