Regal Encore bids to get back on National trail for hopeful Honeyball

Regal Encore will be one of four Randox Health Grand National entries to face the starter in a field of six for the Keltbray Swinley Chase (2.25 ITV4/RUK), which has to be considered slightly light on numbers for a £75,000 race.

This season has been something of a curate's egg for Regal Encore, with a fine third-placed effort in the Ladbrokes Trophy sandwiched in between two poor efforts at Ascot.

Anthony Honeyball said: "He ran an absolute screamer in the Ladbroke off 150, finishing nine lengths behind the Willie Mullins horse [Total Recall]. We thought he went into Ascot in great form but maybe he’d had a hard race at Newbury.

"Hopfully he will cope with the soft ground and he stays very well so we’re hopeful he will run well. Tomorrow will dictate whether he goes to the Midland National or skip that and go straight to Aintree."

Venture on a roll for Bailey and Maggie's Cancer Charity

One of two not to hold the National entry, Another Venture will be a high-profile ride for 5lb claimer Mikey Hamill, after a late switch of plan left David Bass with no time to make the weight.

Racing for Maggie's: Mikey Hamill and Another Venture on their way to victory at Chepstow last monthCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Hamill and Another Venture are seeking a hat-trick together and trainer Kim Bailey said: "He likes soft ground, he’s in really good heart and we’ve put cheekpieces on him because he got a bit lazy last time. Small fields are what he likes and I am hoping for a very good run."

Another Venture is leased to Racing for Maggie's, a partnership which aims to raise funds for the Cheltenham Maggie's Cancer Centre and has collected £20,000 to date.

Novices to the fore again in handicap company

Seven days ago the Betfair Hurdle was won by novice Kalashnikov and, if the market has got it right, the Ascot Spring Garden Show Handicap Hurdle (3.00 ITV4/RUK) could be another valuable prize to go to the younger brigade.

Dieg Man won a handicap at Auteuil before joining Neil Mulholland, who has sent the JP McManus recruit out to win novice hurdles with ease at Sedgefield and Catterick.

"He’s run a couple of nice races up in the north and this will tell us a lot more about what we’ve got," said Mulholland. "He seems versatile ground-wise and it’s the first time Barry [Geraghty] has ridden him so it will be interesting to see what he makes of him."

Kildisart and Daryl Jacob on the way to victory in the maiden hurdleCredit: ST Parade7/7/16

Kildisart come from the pointing field – he found only Claimantakinforgan too strong in his maiden at Loughanmore – and is yet to be out of the first two in four starts over hurdles for Ben Pauling.

"He has never run on ground this soft but I don’t think it’s something we should be afraid of and I think he has a very progressive profile," said Pauling. "All the races he has run in have worked out well and he is not an awfully long way off being a very nice novice hurdler."

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