Go West Young Man is a perfect pantomime villain

Henry Daly and Jake Greenall must be looking forward enormously to the Tanners Champagne Handicap Chase (Ludlow 2.40) when Go West Young Man makes a special Christmas pantomime appearance.

The word "Chase" adds an extra frisson to the anticipation that the eight-year-old's appearances always provide.

This is Go West Young Man's second encounter with fences, the first having ended at Huntingdon's third fence over a year ago. It might be worth asking Daly or Greenall how they expect Go West Young Man to react to fences this time but first it might be worth asking whether they expect him to reach the first one?

Relatively minor early signs of delinquency graduated to something more criminal at Uttoxeter in 2014 when Go West Young Man ran out.

Two races later, at Exeter, he put up a spectacular display, leading before the final hurdle then drawing clear on the run in before suddenly executing a 90 degree turn that took him from the far to the near rail and from first to sixth place.

Sent off favourite for a maiden hurdle at Bangor earlier this year, Go West Young Man achieved the comment "behind when hung right and went off course after last, came to standstill."

The rascal is particularly clever because he dangles tempting morsels in front of forgiving optimists in the form of a collection of second places.

In 20 races, Go West Young Man has been runner-up seven times and third four times.

As he has gained experience in his criminal profession, Go West Young Man has shown himself a cut above the ordinary offender. In a brilliant display of contrariness, at Kempton in May, having delayed the start while declining to allow Greenall on board, Go West Young Man then won on the bridle.

This not only ruined the lives of countless confident layers on Betfair but tempted others to believe that Go West Young Man might not be a lost cause, after all.

Striking while the iron was plugged in, Daly sent Go West Young Man to Aintree for the appropriately (apart from the sex) named Will She/Won't She Handicap Hurdle.

The answer was no, he wouldn't.

Adding to his collection of black marks, Go West Young Man "was reluctant to go to the start and then, after pulling his way to the front, applied the brakes passing the entrance to the paddock with a circuit to go and deposited his jockey on the ground."

The jockey was Tom O'Brien, Greenall possibly having told Daly that he'd love to ride the horse again but he had to wash his hair.

After jockey and rider had both been given a summer's break, they teamed up again at Bangor last month.

Apart from being unruly and starting slowly, Go West Young Man didn't commit any major offences, other than declining to make much effort when it was needed.If he starts and if he finishes, and if he isn't required to try too hard, Go West Young Man could win.