Double at Chepstow on Friday 

Warren Greatrex's horses are in very good health at the moment and Jammin Masters got the job done nicely.

He is definitely one to look forward to, as he loves jumping and should make a nice chaser for next season. 

Back To The Thatch put in a really pleasing display in the handicap chase. 

He’s taken a bit of time to get into the swing of things over fences but he put it all together on Friday. 

Hopefully, the handicapper isn’t too harsh and we will look at a similar race again for him. Soft ground and a left-handed track suits him perfectly. 

Rock The Kasbah will go to Cheltenham next 

Unfortunately, Rock The Kasbah just didn’t cope with the ground in the Peter Marsh Chase. 

It was really hard work and I felt that the sensible thing was to pull him up and not subject him to a hard race. 

He will now be aimed at the 3m handicap chase on the opening day of the Festival, where he will encounter ground much more to his liking. 

It gives him plenty of time to get over Haydock and he goes well fresh so hopefully he can put up a bold show in March. 

Rest of Haydock on Saturday 

Chozen didn’t really settle in the handicap hurdle and he just showed a bit of inexperience. 

Hopefully he learns a lot from that and can improve as the season goes on. 

Positively Dylan is fine after his fall early on in the novices’ chase and fingers crossed he can go better next time. 

Clyne didn’t run too badly in the Champion Hurdle Trial but I don’t think he quite ran up to his true form. 

It was an amazing achievement for The New One to win the race for a fourth year in a row and without a doubt he is one of the stars of National Hunt racing. 

He never runs a bad race and has been an absolutely brilliant horse for his connections. 

I think the way he battled on such testing ground on Saturday suggests the Stayers’ Hurdle is worth a go. 

He got two and a half miles as a novice around Cheltenham, so the longer race looks the best option for him. 

If he manages to get his nose in front, it would bring the house down and I don’t think there would be many more popular Cheltenham Festival winners. 

Tornado In Milan ran well in the handicap chase and he handled the conditions.

I thought we might catch the winner but we just couldn’t get past him in the end. 

I don’t think the conditions really suited Apollo Creed in the handicap hurdle. 

He didn’t run a bad race and I’m sure you’ll see a better horse on better ground. He just needs a little more experience. 

Ascot on Saturday 

It was a bit frustrating to miss out on La Bague Au Roi in the mares’ race at Ascot, but she travelled really nicely and put the race to bed impressively. 

All roads now lead to Cheltenham and whether it’s the mares’ hurdle or the Stayers’, she’ll have a strong chance.

Unless the ground was on the fast side, I’d say the mares’ race is likely to be where she will end up. 

Apples Jade is a very good mare and she will be extremely hard to beat, but I think La Bague Au Roi’s run on Saturday makes her the best of the British. 

She has matured massively from last season and the step up in trip has really helped. 

She’s getting better and better with each run and hopefully she hasn’t quite reached her full potential just yet. 

Un De Sceaux did what he had to in the Clarence House and to win the race for a third consecutive year is an impressive feat. 

He showed how versatile he is on Saturday and when he has his favoured conditions, he is extremely hard to beat. 

He’s very much the one they’ve all got to beat in the Ryanair and the 2m5f trip looks tailormade for him.

Looking ahead to this week

Duke Des Champs is entered in a novices’ chase at Exeter on Wednesday.

He ran really well on his first run back after a big lay-off and it will be great to get back on him.

We thought the world of him two years ago and hopefully he can come on again on Wednesday.

Beer Goggles runs in the Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham on Saturday and hopefully he can pick up from where he left off at Newbury.

Saturday will decide if we go for the Stayers’ Hurdle or if we wait and go to somewhere like Aintree in the spring.

Richard Woollacott is happy with him and he should go there with a decent chance.