The wait is over: jumping stars lured into action with £1 million up for grabs

In a nutshell

They cannot wait any longer. The rain has not arrived in the quantities the trainers have wanted, but nevertheless some of jump racing’s biggest names are set to take off the wraps and enter the arena.

Leading the way are last season's Cheltenham Gold Cup one-two Native River and Might Bite. Their epic struggle in the Cotswolds came on soft, sticky ground and the faster underfoot conditions in the north west have prompted bookmakers to side with the runner-up to turn the tables.

Saturday's Betfair Chase at Haydock (3.00) is far from a two-horse race though. The other three runners have form and reputations to match the market leaders, with Thistlecrack, Clan Des Obeaux and last year’s winner Bristol De Mai making it a fantastic five, provided connections are content with the going.

After Saturday's contest one of them will be a step closer to potentially winning £1 million as part of the Jockey Club Chase Triple Crown. With money like that on offer, it is a chance worth taking.

Having been withdrawn from the BetVictor Gold Cup last week, won by stablemate Baron Alco, Benatar is given another chance to shine when he lines up in the Grade 2 Christy 1965 Chase (2.05), where Politologue is among his opponents.

Politologue’s owner John Hales was dreaming of winning the Randox Health Grand National last week after Ibis Du Rheu triumphed at Cheltenham, and in Politologue he is hoping the grey can bring him the one prize he covets the most – the Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Those races are both some way down the line. For now, let us enjoy what we have in front of us – we have all waited long enough.

The one and only

When it came to Kauto Star he truly was one in a million, with the superstar jumper still the only horse to have captured the £1 million chasing triple crown.

The series, made up of the Betfair Chase, 32Red King George VI Chase and Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup, was resurrected by Jockey Club Racecourses in 2015 after a five-year hiatus, with Cue Card capturing the first two legs before falling when in contention at Cheltenham.

Kauto Star: the only winner of the milllion-pound bonusCredit: Patrick McCann

Kauto Star captured the Betfair-backed prize in 2007 and Might Bite is viewed as the most likely winner of it this season as he heads the market at 12-1. The bonus is shared out between the winning owners, trainer, jockey and stable staff.

Paul Fisher, chief executive of JCR, said: “We all know it would take a very special racehorse to win all three Grade 1s in the same season, but Kauto Star proved that it’s possible and we all remember how close Cue Card came more recently. It would be a great story for our sport if it could be won.”

JCR Chase Triple Crown winner William Hill: 9-1 Any horse, 12-1 Might Bite, 33-1 Native River, 100-1 Thistlecrack, 150-1 Bristol De Mai, Clan Des Obeaux

Ascot rewarded for prize-money boost

The Gerard Bertrand Hurst Park Handicap Chase (3.15) carries an increased prize fund of £125,000 on Saturday after Ascot boosted the pool earlier this year.

A large bank holiday crowd enjoys the action at Hurst Park in 1948

The £25,000 hike is part of an initiative with the BHA to help strengthen and promote the two-mile chasing division, and the course has been rewarded with 13 runners, the biggest field in the last ten years.

The contest also features the return of the name Hurst Park, which was closed in 1962 with some of the turf taken from the track and used to establish the jumps course at Ascot.

Hurst Park briefly made a comeback during the summer when the drought-like conditions in Surrey allowed the ghostly remains of the pre-parade to be seen as marks on the ground.

Gresham still proving good with money

Finances were something Sir Thomas Gresham had a good handle of and his equine namesake is proving something of a moneyspinner on the racecourse.

Sir Thomas Gresham, the man, was an English merchant and financier in the 16th century who founded the Royal Exchange in the City of London.

Sir Thomas Gresham, the horse, is unbeaten in two starts for trainer Tim Pinfield and owners Arion Equine Limited, and bids to make it three wins in the 7f Sun Racing No 1 Racing Site Conditions Stakes (1.25) at Lingfield.

Lambourn-based Pinfield only returned to training in Britain last year after time spent in the USA and the Far East. During that period he handled classy sprinter Big Jag, who captured the 2000 Dubai Golden Shaheen at Nad Al Sheba.

Big plans might be being made for the Roger Charlton-trained Red Impression too if she can back up her debut success with another win in the 6f novice stakes (2.00).

Double up for Irish rugby fans

Irish rugby fans still basking in the glory of last weekend's stunning victory over New Zealand – and still hoarse from roaring on their warriors – may be interested in a related double on Saturday.

Not only does Fields of Athenry – the anthem which reverberated around the Aviva Stadium for 80 minutes – make his debut in the 1m½f novice at Wolverhampton (7.45), but expensively purchased point winner Trevelyn's Corn, a lyric which features in the folk classic, makes his hurdles debut at Ascot (12.20).

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