Pipe hoping King's Socks can put best foot forward in family tradition

Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate Handicap Chase | 2m5f New | Grade 3 | 5yo+ | ITV/RUK

David Pipe has suggested King's Socks is his best chance of the meeting, and if the ex-French six-year-old succeeds Pipe will equal his father Martin's four wins in the race – good going considering this is one of the most competitive handicaps of the week and he took over the reins only in 2006.

Niggling issues have restricted King's Socks to just one run for the stable – a respectable third to Modus at Kempton last month on his first run since wind surgery – but the best of his French form included two good runs against Tuesday's impressive Racing Post Arkle Chase winner Footpad.

A mark of 140 could easily underestimate him, and if that's the case he could well follow in the footsteps of Great Endeavour, Salut Flo and Ballynagour and add to a record that has seen his trainer draw a blank at the festival only twice and rack up an impressive seven wins in the last four years.

Irish hat-trick?

It would be easy to get carried away by the recent record of Irish-trained runners, with the last two runnings having gone to Empire Of Dirt and Road To Respect.

However, while that could signify the start of a trend, Empire Of Dirt's 2016 success ended a yawning gap of 34 years since the previous Irish winner.

In fairness, this is a race in which Irish-trained runners tend to be hugely outnumbered, and that's the case once again, but all three representatives this time are classy individuals near the top end of the handicap and the Alan Fleming-trained Tully East was a winner here last year, under a cool ride from Denis O'Regan in the Close Brothers Novices' Handicap Chase.

Compensation for Murphy?

Amy Murphy went agonisingly close to saddling a winner with her first festival runner when Kalashnikov was collared close home by Summerville Boy in Tuesday's Supreme Novices' Hurdle.

Hat-trick-seeking Mercian Prince, also ridden by Jack Quinlan, offers the stable another realistic chance.

What they say

Philip Hobbs, trainer of Village Vic
He’s got very good form around Cheltenham and if he reproduces his best he should run well. Whatever the weather brings, he shouldn’t mind the ground.

Nigel Twiston-Davies, trainer of Ballybolley and Splash Of Ginge
Splash Of Ginge very much likes the ground but I think he's an early-season horse who's probably lost his way a little now. Ballybolley wouldn't want the ground anything like as soft to be at his best.

Gordon Elliott, trainer of The Storyteller
He's in great form but might lack a bit of experience.

Colin Tizzard, trainer of Viconte Du Noyer, Quite By Chance, Ultragold and Shanahan's Turn
They all have pieces of form that would make you think they could nearly win a race like this. They all have to rise a bit, though. The one I'd say has the best chance is Viconte Du Noyer. He's had his wind done and has won at Cheltenham.

Gary Moore, trainer of Traffic Fluide
It's his first run in a handicap for a while and hopefully he'll be more at home in this company. He's going very well at home, but then he always does – it's hard to know what to expect on the track.

Amy Murphy, trainer of Mercian Prince
It's very competitive but he goes there in great form, having won his last two. He's improving all the time and it was heavy when he won at Wetherby, so he's versatile regarding ground.

Paul Nicholls, trainer of Romain De Senam and Movewiththetimes
Movewiththetimes was in good shape during the autumn and has had a nice break. I was hoping to come back in the spring for some better ground but we can't do much about that, and he's got form on soft. Hopefully he'll have a nice chance. I kept Romain De Senam all winter for spring ground and look where we are. He's got it all do on this ground.

Harry Fry, trainer of Drumcliff
He won his first two over fences and his last run qualified him for handicaps. Although he's won in soft and heavy at Wincanton and Ascot, he's on a higher rating now. He does prefer better underfoot conditions.

David Pipe, trainer of King's Socks
It's only his second run for us and we're still learning, but it was a nice run at Kempton and he's come on since. The trip should be fine and he went on this sort of ground in France. Tom [Scudamore] schooled him during the week and he's in good form.

Nicky Henderson, trainer of Pougne Bobbi
I like him and he'll love the ground. He won well last time and I could see him running well.

Charlie Longsdon, trainer of Midnight Shot
He's been avoiding this sort of going all winter and would prefer better ground, but he's as hard as nails and will run his race whatever.

Evan Williams, trainer of King's Odyssey
He's got no secrets from the handicapper, but he's run two exceptional races at Cheltenham this season and if they get the rain they're talking about it would help him massively as he's one who will handle extreme conditions.

Nicky Richards, trainer of Guitar Pete
He's had a little break since Ascot, where there were wires crossed, and he's in grand form. He's sneaked in near the bottom of the handicap and conditions will suit.

Ian Williams, trainer of Ballyalton
Kempton last time was a rare blot on his copybook, but he was found to have a fibrillating heart. He's been in good form since and is nicely weighted. Ideally he'd prefer better ground but he could run very well.

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