Knight Salute backed to thwart Porticello and Too Friendly at Doncaster

Wins at Sedgefield and Kempton were followed up by a smooth success in Grade Two company at Cheltenham’s November meeting, meaning Paddy Brennan’s mount brings the strongest form into the contest.

Taking him on are Gary Moore’s French import Porticello, winner of a Listed event at Wetherby on his British debut, and Dan Skelton’s Too Friendly, who has been victorious in his two starts over hurdles to date.

“You don’t have that many choices with a good juvenile when you’ve already won a Grade Two, so you have to carry a penalty,” said Harris.

“I’ve seen some people knocking the form of the juveniles this year, not just him, but what I would say is I’m sure people were knocking Katchit at this time of year when he was winning similar races and he didn’t turn out too bad.

“All he can do is keep winning and I’m convinced he’s improved at home since Cheltenham. We’ll know after this where we are going – it will either be the Fred Winter (Boodles), the Triumph or the pub!

“Gary Moore’s is favourite and he beat one of mine (Genuflex) at Wetherby by four lengths.

“I’d like to think this lad is four lengths better than him,” he added.

Magistrato was fourth behind Knight Salute at Cheltenham, but champion trainer Paul Nicholls believes the Doncaster conditions and a pull in the weights could help to reverse that form.

Meanwhile, Yorkshire-born jockey Harry Bannister recorded one of his most significant wins to date when the Richard Bandey-trained Diesel D’Allier took the Glenfarclas Crystal Cup Cross Chase at Cheltenham yesterday, beating the Jack Tudor-ridden Potters Corner by a nose at the end of a marathon contest.