Audition time: festival hopefuls on trial as punters look for last-minute leads

A good name is no more a guarantee that your horse will be able to run than the choice of colours for your silks.

But there is something that catches the imagination about the equine Humphrey Bogart, who was talented enough on the Flat to be fifth in Harzand's Derby and who will make his hurdling debut on a Kempton card that has a richly-deserved reputation for granting late admission to the biggest show of all in two and a half weeks' time.

Kempton may be the 'wrong' way round and flatter than three-day-old Cotswolds ale but, on the final Saturday in February it comes alive with the possibility of unearthing a genuine Cheltenham Festival contender.

In the hard-headed search for challengers to hot Supreme favourite Getabird at the festival, success for Humphrey Bogart in the Sky Bet Dovecote Novices' Hurdle (3.00 ITV4/RUK) would be something of an inconvenience, since Nicky Henderson's charge doesn't hold an entry and, in the words of Chelsea Thoroughbreds' James Ramsden, would have to do something "seriously impressive" for supplementing him to become an option.

But a win for either of two more newcomers with decent form on the Flat could have major significance.

Carntop carries the colours of the Duchess of Cornwall and is very closely matched with Humphrey Bogart in two meetings during the spring of 2016, while Scarlet Dragon was placed twice at Group 3 level last summer and is now in the hands of Alan King.

Humphrey Bogart edged out Carntop in the 2016 Lingfield Derby Trial but, will it be the same story over hurdles?Credit: Hugh Routledge

You have only to go back 12 months for the Dovecote to have had a direct bearing on the festival, when Kempton winner River Wylde went on to be third in the Supreme.

Still, when it comes to converting talented Flat performers into hurdlers it may pay to bear in mind the words of Bogart's Philip Marlowe who, while exchanging racing-related zingers with Lauren Bacall in The Big Sleep, observes: "Well, I can't tell till I've seen you over a distance of ground. You've got a touch of class, but I don't know how far you can go."

Is Redicean an Adonis beauty?

One who has already attracted plenty of support for the festival is Redicean, who is two from two since switching to King and favourite for the Betdaq #ChangingForTheBettor Adonis Juvenile Hurdle (2.25 ITV4/RUK).

Several recent Cheltenham gatecrashers emerged via this race, with Zarkandar and Soldatino making their British debuts before winning the Triumph, while last year's fourth, Flying Tiger, went on to land the Fred Winter.

Snow Drop won this race for France in 2000 before becoming the most recent mare to land the Triumph, a statistic that looks under severe threat this year thanks to the presence of Apple's Shakira and Stormy Ireland in the upper reaches of the betting.

Go Conquer on the march

Snow Drop's trainer, Francois Doumen, was a big supporter of what on Saturday will be run as the Betdaq Handicap Chase (3.35 ITV4/RUK), winning with Val D’Alene (1995) and Innox (2006).

In 1994 The Fellow finished third behind Antonin and Docklands Express under a stopping weight of 11st 13lb, before going on to win the Gold Cup the following month at the fourth attempt.

There may be no Gold Cup aspirations on the line here, but the front-running Go Conquer has handicap entries at the festival, while his Randox Health Grand National odds would also come in for some serious revision if he can successfully defy 11st 11lb under Aidan Coleman.

Battle of Newcastle

The Betfred Eider Handicap Chase (2.45 ITV4/ATR) also has recent National pedigree, having been the prep used by David Pipe for Comply Or Die before Aintree glory in 2008.

That year Newcastle provided good to soft ground, but the going will be much tougher this time round with Gosforth Park's version of heavy every bit a match for the draining conditions at Haydock a week ago.

Two at the top of the weights who ought to cope with the conditions – or at least be least inconvenienced by them – are Chase The Spud and Milansbar, both of whom have National entries.

Harry Bannister drives Vinnie Lewis up the run in to score in the At The Races Sussex National at Plumpton in JanuaryCredit: Alan Crowhurst

As should be the case for an £80,000 race on mainstream television, this is fiercely competitive, with Vinnie Lewis having been well backed during the week to add a second big Saturday winner in seven days to Harry Whittington's CV.

First Derby of spring

It is not just Humphrey Bogart who will be prompting thoughts of Epsom and points sunnier, with the names Ryan Moore and AP O'Brien making their first appearance together on a British racecard in 2018.

The pair team up with Clear Skies in the Group 3 Betway Winter Derby at Lingfield (3.15 ITV4/ATR) and, while it is in keeping with the season that Moore will be wearing the green and gold of JP McManus, it's now only 70 days until the first Classic of the Flat season.

Saturday's cards and form

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