BANBOU TAKES A BOW

Frero can top 'em in the Topham for Venetia Williams

MILDMAY NOVICES CHASE

A lot of these will be hoping that Fact To File won’t turn up and luckily for them I don’t think he will. I’ve put Grey Dawning up for the 2m 4f race on Thursday but he could line up here given his ability to stay this trip.

Looking at the possible entries though the 2m 4f race may prove to be the easier assignment and I’m sure the Skeltons will be keen to capitalise on that.

Stay Away Fay would be the obvious British contender but he scoped badly after this blowout at the Festival and would have to bounce back quite quickly in order to make this. It is possible however and he would have to be respected but he might just find this test a little sharp.

Giovinco will be well-fancied after his promising run in the Brown Advisory and I’m sure Lucinda Russell will have this race on her agenda. His form ties in with Stay Away Fay but I would say the Scottish raider has improved a fair bit since then and I wouldn’t be surprised if the form was reversed if they both turned up here.

My selection is slightly left field as he didn’t run in the novice races at the Festvial but he did however absolutely bolt up in the Ultima. I was really impressed with CHIANTI CLASSICO that day as he looked like the winner throughout the race. David Bass was taking regular pulls aboard Kim Bailey’s improving novice, saving energy at every point he could. It paid dividends eventually as he careered away up the hill. Yes, that was a handicap but to win a competitive handicap like that suggests we are dealing with a proper horse and I think he could improve past his fellow novices here.