Borderlescott hoping to end victory drought at Beverley

Trainer Robin Bastiman had been looking forward to seeing his dual Nunthorpe winner return to the Knavesmire for a third crack at the Group One prize last week, but the 10-year-old failed to make the cut.

He will instead head to East Yorkshire for the Listed contest in which he finished second in 2007.

Last year’s renewal was won by Bryan Smart’s Tangerine Trees who went on to land the Prix de l’Abbaye – Europe’s top sprint – at Longchamp on Arc day. The victor also became Yorkshire’s 2011 horse of the year.

“He’ll run on Saturday, no matter what the ground is like, as I have to run him somewhere. I can’t keep working him without giving him a run,” said Wetherby-based Bastiman. “We were really disappointed not to get in the Nunthorpe. I don’t know how a dual Nunthorpe winner couldn’t get in the race.”

Borderlescott is one of 31 entries for the five-furlong test, with Nunthorpe eighth Masamah the highest-rated horse in contention. David O’Meara’s two-time Great St Wilfrid scorer Pepper Lane is also a possible runner.

Meanwhile, connections of Ursa Major have yet to make any firm decisions on whether the three-year-old will contest either of next month’s St Legers.

He completed a hat-trick with a brilliant display in Saturday’s Irish St Leger Trial. He is engaged in both the Irish St Leger and the Ladbrokes St Leger at Doncaster, both of which take place on September 15.

Tim Jones, racing manager for owner Andrew Tinkler, said: “He’s a gorgeous horse and very progressive.

“It was all about learning his craft for the first six months of the year and the great thing about exciting three-year-olds like him is you don’t know where they’ll stop improving.”

Ursa Major’s trainer is Tommy Carmody who had a great career over jumps with the Dickinson family in Yorkshire.

Two former Cheltenham Gold Cup winners could be on the comeback trail.

The iconic Kauto Star is reportedly back in training at the yard of champion trainer Paul Nicholls, though no decision has been taken on the 12-year-old’s future.

Now the 2010 Cheltenham hero Imperial Commander, out of action for nearly 18 months, could return in Haydock’s Betfair Chase on November 24.

Ian Robinson, part of the owning Our Friends In The North syndicate, said of the Nigel Twiston-Davies stable star: “Imperial Commander is making good progress to the extent that he will start to canter early next week. All being well the plan is to start off in the Betfair Chase at Haydock on November 24 – fingers and everything else crossed.”

Eva Moscrop has been discharged from Leeds General Infirmary after being airlifted to hospital complaining of neck and back injuries following a fall at Ripon on Monday. Subsequent X-rays revealed no lasting damage. Meanwhile, Bryan Smart’s apprentice Justin Newman faces a spell on the sidelines after injuring a tendon in his elbow.