'I might be able to twist Alex's arm to go for the King George if he wins'

Kielan Woods is hoping Aintree Grade 1 winner Millers Bank can tee up a tilt at the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase by winning the Fitzdares Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon on Sunday.

Millers Bank provided Woods and trainer Alex Hales with a first top-level success in the Manifesto Novices' Chase at the Grand National meeting in April, where he defeated War Lord by ten lengths.

The eight-year-old, who finished fifth on his final start of last season at Punchestown, unseated at the first in the Old Roan Chase at Aintree on his reappearance last month but returned a week later to finish a half-length second to Beauport in the Colin Parker Memorial Intermediate Chase at Carlisle.

Woods felt that was up there with Millers Bank's best runs and believes he is in good shape for the feature Grade 2 at Huntingdon.

Millers Bank, who is also entered in the Boylesports Many Clouds Chase at Aintree on Saturday but is set to run the following day, is the 7-2 joint second favourite for the Peterborough with last year's winner First Flow behind 3-1 favourite Pic D'Orhy.

"I schooled him in Lambourn last week and he was perfect," said Woods. "He worked very well there and everyone was very happy with him.

"It was arguably his best run at Carlisle, giving 12lb to Beauport was no mean feat and the soft ground wasn't ideal for us. I rate him very highly – he pretty much won on the bridle at Aintree in the spring. That was a great day for everyone involved and hopefully there's a few more ahead of him.

"The Peterborough Chase looks a highly competitive race, but it should be run to suit him with Allmankind in there and we know the track suits us.

"We'll see what he does at the weekend, but I might be able to twist Alex's arm to have a go at the King George if he wins. I've been trying on that front for a good while! He's shown good form around Kempton and those flat tracks suit him really well."

Kielan Woods: already enjoying his best seasonCredit: Edward Whitaker

This is already a career-best season numerically for Woods, who sits in the top ten of the jump jockeys' championship and has ridden 43 winners. He became stable jockey for Ben Pauling in the last campaign and has the support of several yards.

Woods said: "The support of Ben has been brilliant – his stable is absolutely flying – and I've rode nine winners for Fergal O'Brien, so I'm picking up a lot of rides and Alex continues to be a massive supporter of mine.

"I'm not a man for targets but the goal every season is to beat the season before. I've managed that so it would be great to get the half-century up and take it from there."

Fitzdares Peterborough Chase (2.55 Huntingdon, Sunday)

Sky Bet: 3-1 Pic D'Orhy, 7-2 First Flow, Millers Bank, 6 Mister Fisher, 7 Fantastic Lady, 8 Allmankind, 9 Al Dancer, Do Your Job, 14 bar

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