Channon hoping for Reckless win

Channon, who has taken over the day-to-day responsibilities for the National Hunt horses trained by the now retired Henrietta Knight and Terry Biddlecombe, says he intends to run Sgt Reckless in the Champion Bumper in March.

The promising six-year-old bolted up on his racecourse debut at Wincanton in May and had little trouble following up at Lingfield earlier this month under a confident Elsworth.

There has been talk of Sgt Reckless switching to hurdles for the rest of the campaign, but he will instead remain on the level at Prestbury Park where the gelding is a 33-1 prospect.

Channon, whose Samitar landed last year’s Irish 1,000 Guineas, said: “Sgt Reckless is in great form and has done everything right. He’s going to go for the Festival Bumper.”

The trainer was speaking at Newbury after Guiseley-born Elsworth had partnered Loch Ba, another Cheltenham contender, to victory in the aptly-named Betfred Goals Galore Handicap Chase.

The 8-1 chance was far too strong for his nearest rival, the 4-1 favourite Mountainous, and won by eight lengths.

“I didn’t think he did anything wrong when he was second at Ascot last time. He didn’t put a foot wrong here and he jumped great,” said Channon.

Knight, who trained Best Mate to three successive Cheltenham Gold Cup victories, is still heavily involved in the schooling of the horses while she cares for Biddlecombe after the former champion jockey suffered a stroke.

She was at Cheltenham with Channon and said of Loch Ba: “I think he might go for one of the three-mile handicap chases at Cheltenham.”

Loch Ba, like so many Channon-Knight jumpers, is owned by Lincolnshire-based Camilla Radford and her family.

They include Somersby who could take on the brilliant Sprinter Sacre in Saturday’s Victor Chandler Chase at Ascot – the battling horse provided Elsworth with a first Grade One win in this contest 12 months ago. Likewise Grand National prospect Calgary Bay, who could seek a second successive victory in Doncaster’s Sky Bet Chase on Saturday week.

The biggest obstacle is the freezing weather and forecast snow that threatens to decimate the turf fixture list and hamper those trainers seeking preparatory races for their Cheltenham and Aintree contenders.

Wincanton’s card today must pass an early morning check, while Ludlow’s meeting was abandoned yesterday.

Tomorrow’s jumping action at Musselburgh and Chepstow hinges on course inspections this morning, both tracks are frozen.

An 8am check today will determine prospects for Saturday’s high-profile card at Haydock. Even though frost covers have been deployed across the whole track in a bid to save the Peter Marsh Chase and the Champion Hurdle trial, these efforts may not be sufficent.

Ascot’s track is also covered for the aforementioned Victor Chandler Chase – but snow is forecast. Prospects are marginally better at Taunton as the Somerset track prepares for the richest day’s racing in its history.

Prospects for Yorkshire’s meetings next week are also doubtful – racing at Wetherby on Tuesday, and Catterick on Wednesday, depends on the timing of any thaw.

Meanwhile officials at Doncaster, where the track is frozen after temperatures dropped to minus six on Tuesday night, hope weather will warm up tomorrow so take-off and landing areas can be covered ahead of the two-day Sky Bet meeting which begins on Friday week.

In other racing news, champion trainer Paul Nicholls used a Newbury novice chase eight years ago to unveil a little-known French recruit called Kauto Star, so plenty of attention should be taken of Fago’s impressive jumps at the Berkshire course yesterday,

Owner Graham Wylie’s purchase took to British fences with aplomb and connections immediately nominated him for the Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham.

Meanwhile, defending champion Rock On Ruby is one of four former winners of the Stan James Champion Hurdle to be entered in this year’s contest – the Cheltenham Festival’s traditional day one highlight.

The other ex-winners are the Willie Mullins-trained Hurricane Fly as well as Binocular and Punjabi from in-form Nicky Henderson’s yard which is responsible for eight of the 34 entries.

York is celebrating after regaining the Flat ground staff award it last won in 2009 – another boost for the track that has announced record prize money for this summer and which will host cycling’s Tour de France next year.

Chief executive William Derby said: “Led by Adrian Kay, our head groundsman, the team overcame the wettest summer on record to deliver a surface that witnessed some extraordinary performances from horses and jockeys last year.

“The extremes of weather meant that many teams across the country have gone above and beyond the call of duty to keep racing going, which only reflects further credit on the York team and makes us very proud.”