Hot Horse Racing Due After Wet Start To Season

Herefordshire horse The Outlier is disputing favouritism for one of the major staying handicap races of the National Hunt season.

I highlighted last month, prior to the nine-year-old's victory in Haydock Park's Peter Marsh Chase, what a good record Kings Caple trainer Venetia Williams enjoys at the Merseyside racecourse.

Now the horse - one of four that the trainer has entered for the Grand National - could be returning north on Saturday for the £125,000 Red Square Vodka Gold Cup.

Mon Mome is another possible runner for the stable in the three and a half mile race.

Following so many racing fixtures being lost to the weather - including Hereford's opening Sunday meeting of the year - trainers are making a very large number of entries for their horses, so running plans are fluid.

It's certainly going to be an enormously busy Saturday, with jump racing at Ascot, Uttoxeter and Wincanton as well as Haydock Park.

The Grade 1 Ascot Chase could be an exceedingly hot race, with classy acts such as Monet's Garden and Vodka Bleu being leading fancies. Jericho III, a winner at the Berkshire track before Christmas, is an entry for Venetia Williams, while novice chaser Heez A Dreamer is in the Reynoldstown Chase for the yard.

Lady of Scarvagh, a shock 50-1 winner at Kempton last month for Bromsash trainer Michael Scudamore, is an entry for the top chase of the day at Wincanton - the listed Country Gentlemen's Association Chase.

Byton trainer Richard Lee's stayer Cinnamon Line, which relishes a real test, could go for a hat-trick of wins when racing in the three and a quarter mile totesport Chase at Uttoxeter, a race in which Hereford jockey Lee Stephens is booked to ride dual Lincolnshire National winner Victory Gunner.

Punters certainly need to keep on the side of horses that run well in testing ground. Following the thaw, racing conditions up and down the country will remain soft and heavy for some days yet.

While we were disappointed to lose last Sunday's fixture at Hereford - which was to have been a family fun day - our fate was sealed by the amount of snow that fell in this part of the world last week. Clerk of the Course Gemma Charrington had no alternative but to call off the fixture well in advance of Sunday.

The first race at Hereford Racecourse on Monday 26 February is scheduled for 2.10pm.