UN ACE, a winner over hurdles at Doncaster last season, returns to the Yorkshire track this afternoon as part of his education over fences.

Trained by Kim Bailey, the smart six-year-old came to grief at Cheltenham last month on his chasing debut, but he has since chalked up a win over the major obstacles when beating Chris Pea Green by a decisive margin at Huntingdon.

Un Ace bids to follow up in the Eden Farm Novices’ Chase and, even with a penalty, promises to be hard to beat. David Bass has the mount.

Lucy Alexander has had a frustrating run of injuries in the last 12 months, but the crack rider has every chance of returning to winning ways aboard Premier Grand Cru in the Independent Ice Cream Wholesalers Handicap Chase.

The eight-year-old ran well to finish fourth at Carlisle on his re-appearance after a lengthy absence and after pulling much too hard. Hopefully, that race will have settled him down a bit and improved his fitness. He could go well for Borders trainer James Ewart.

The Ice Cream Direct (UK) Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase could prove a suitable option for Dundee to get his career back on track, The Alan King-trained gelding unseated his rider at Bangor on his latest start after his summer break. He is now equipped with blinkers and is fancied to prove a different proposition today with Tom Cannon in the saddle.

Paul Nicholls has described Saphir Du Rheu as the “the apple of my eye,” and the gelding makes his eagerly-awaited debut over fences on his seasonal re-appearance in the Fuller’s London Pride Novices’ Chase, a race the Ditcheat trainer has won three times in the last ten years, including with the mighty Denman in 2006.

A triple-winner over hurdles last season, which included victory in the Lanzarote Hurdle and the Welsh Champion Hurdle, Saphir Du Rheu has always been viewed as a potential chaser. This Grade 2 event could have been a tough starting point, but with only five runners, it promises to fit the bill.

Welsh trainer Tim Vaughan has secured a useful recruit from France in Lamool, who has won all his three chases since crossing the Channel and who ran out a wide-margin scorer at Aintree last time out.

The handicapper has raised him 12lb for that success, so life is about to get harder for Lamool, but he relishes soft ground and is a horse still on the upgrade. He is napped to make his presence felt in the bet365 Open Handicap Chase, which carries £50,000 in prize money.

There is not a trainer in the country in better form than Philip Hobbs, who is fancied to secure the Bet365 Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Chase with Quick Decisson.

The gelding, who will receive every assistance from Michael Nolan, has finished third at Uttoxeter and Chepstow in his two starts this season. This slightly longer trip promises to eke out further improvement.

David Pipe has good prospects of winning the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle (Series Qualifier) with either of his runners.

Tullyesker Hill and Unique De Cotte were both winners last time out. This contest comes only 12 days after the latter scored at Cheltenham which may prove his undoing given that he was returning from a long absence last time. Tony McCoy rides Unique De Cotte but marginal preference is for Tullyesker Hill, a Chepstow winner last time who will have Tom Scudamore on board.

 

Racing selections

Doncaster today
12.15 Dundee, 12.45 Novirak, 1.20 Un Ace, 1.55 Streams Of Whiskey, 2.30 Premier Grand Cru, 3.05 The Kvilleken, 3.35 Rainy City.

Newbury today
12.25 Karezak, 12.55 Quick Decisson, 1.30 Tulleyesker Hill, 2.05 Saphir Du Rheu, 2.40 Lamool (NAP), 3.15 Thomas Brown, 3.45 Simon Squirrel.

Today’s other meetings: Musselburgh and Wolverhampton.

Tomorrow’s meetings: Bangor, Newbury, Newcastle, Towcester and Wolverhampton.