Impressive form over fences could enable Cape Tribulation to go Flat out in summer

The Investec Specialist Handicap over two miles at York’s Dante meeting on May 16 is a possible port of call for the Malton-trained gelding.

The versatile nine-year-old was last in action on the level on the Knavesmire when narrowly beaten in a similar contest in October before going chasing.

His last-gasp victory in Cheltenham’s Argento Chase, thanks to a brilliantly-timed Denis O’Regan ride, was then followed by a commendable fifth in the blue riband Cheltenham Gold Cup that was won by Bobs Worth.

Cape Tribulation was then fifth in last week’s Grade One Betfred Bowl at Aintree, a race won by the Bryan Cooper-inspired First Lieutenant.

“He’s one of those horses that has to run in these kind of races and pick up some prize money,” said Jefferson.

“He’s just that bit short. He either runs in handicaps off top weight and gives a lot of horses a stone or more, or we run him in graded races and pick up a few quid.

“His last two races have come to nearly £20,000, so what do you do? He’s fine after his run on Thursday and has been out in the paddock.

“There’s a two-mile handicap at York’s May meeting on the Flat. We might go for that if the weather stayed right and didn’t get too dry. If it was good ground we’d think about it. There’s no grass to turn him away yet and it’s too cold.”

Meanwhile, the 2011 Gold Cup winner Long Run, who was a gallant third in last month’s renewal, is set to make his first visit to Ireland for the tote.com Punchestown Gold Cup on April 24.

He is likely to be joined by his Nicky Henderson-trained stablemate Riverside Theatre. “As things stand they are both due to run,” said the champion trainer-elect.

Ireland’s premier NH meeting may yet be graced by the appearance of the brilliant Sprinter Sacre after Henderson’s superstar took his unbeaten record over fences to nine in the Aintree’s Melling Chase.

Sizing Europe and Flemenstar, who have been put in their place by “the black horse” recently, also figure in the list for the boylesports.com Champion Chase.

Punchestown is also on the agenda for Seabass, the beaten favourite in the John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree.

Heavily backed as Katie Walsh bid to become the first female rider to win the iconic race, Seabass could only finish 13th behind Auroras Encore – the first Yorkshire-trained winner of the race in 53 years.

The extra 5lb was a factor but Pat Glynn, part of the owning Gunners Syndicate, added: “Katie also said the ground was tackier in some places than last year.”

As for Auroras Encore, his trainer Sue Smith reports the 11-year-old to be “in cracking form” after riding him out yesterday morning at her stables near High Eldwick.

No decision, she stressed, has been taken on whether Auroras Encore runs in the Scottish National on Saturday week. Only one horse – the incomparable Red Rum – has won the Aintree and Ayr marathons in the same year when just one week separated the two races in 1974, the year of his second win in Liverpool.

This year there is a gap of a fortnight, though it remains odds against Auroras Encore actually heading to Scotland on Saturday week.

Locally, Mark Johnson’s Flashlight will look to follow up last week’s Southwell win in today’s Dalby Stand Handicap at Pontefract.

The Middleham trainer could not have his string in better form at this early stage of the year, firing in winners at the all-weather circuits that saw him notch up his 3,000th winner last week after a nervous wait.

“It has come faster than for any other trainer but, once we reached 2,996, the last four seemed to take forever,” he said.

“As I always say, number of winners may not be the most important goal for a British trainer, but it is, nonetheless, an important milestone for us.

“For me, having a large number of winners each year means that I have a lot of satisfied owners and it shows that we can still demonstrate the level of consistency that I have always strived for.”

Staying will be the name of the game in the two-and-a-quarter-mile Jamaican Flight Handicap, with the John Quinn-trained Hidden Justice an interesting contender.

The four-year-old enjoyed a decent campaign on the Flat last season when placed on five occasions.

Two impressive victories at Wetherby and Catterick booked his place in the Triumph Hurdle field at Cheltenham, though he was to be ultimately unplaced in a race which was won in spectacular style by Our Conor.