Kempton preview: Knight Salute seeks to underline Triumph claims

Knight Salute will take on 10 rivals as he bids to maintain his unbeaten record in the Coral Adonis Hurdle at Kempton on Saturday.

The resurgence of Milton Harris has been one of the stories of the season. He has already surpassed his previous best of 32 victories in the 2010-11 season, registering 41 winners thus far.

Thereafter, the trainer suffered a seven-year spell in the wilderness after declaring himself bankrupt.

However, he got his licence back just over three years ago and has steadily built up his new base at Warminster, and is heading to Cheltenham with a handful of big guns to fire.

His stellar campaign has been spearheaded by Knight Salute and the four-year-old bids for a five-timer over hurdles in the two-mile contest, hoping to rubber-stamp his Triumph Hurdle ticket.

Though having his first outing since defeating another leading British hope, Porticello, in the Summit Hurdle at Doncaster in early December, Harris feels the son of Sir Percy is the one they all have to beat.

“Knight Salute is in good form. He has done everything we have asked of him,” he said.

“The ground looks like it will dry out a bit, conditions look like they are in his favour and while it is a hot race, we are top-rated and I think they will be more worried about us than we are about them.”

Knight Salute will take on Impulsive One, whom he had just over a length behind in third at Doncaster.

Nicky Henderson’s runner franked that form when winning his third race from five over hurdles at Mussleburgh last time.

“He is in good form. He is a Flat-ground horse and he’s a good-ground horse. He won well at Musselburgh,” said the Seven Barrows handler.

“This is a good race for him and he will go to Liverpool rather than Cheltenham after the Adonis. We’re hopeful he will acquit himself favourably.”

Paul Nicholls is represented by Rubaud, who makes his British debut, and Pleasant Man, who was a 95-rated handicapper with Roger Charlton. He makes his hurdling debut on his first start since September.

Nicholls told Betfair: “Both of mine are running in this race on the basis that if one of them wins then they can go on to better things like Zarkandar in 2011. If not they will be looked after until next season because I don’t want them losing their maiden status in an ordinary novice hurdle.

“Pleasant Man won three times on the Flat, is rated 95 and on his two-year-old debut beat Pied Piper who is one of the favourites for the Triumph Hurdle. He has been with us since November, shows a fair bit at home, has done plenty of schooling and wears cheek pieces as he did when winning his last race for Roger Charlton in September.

“Rubaud stays well, he won impressively at Saint-Cloud in July and has been with us since the autumn. He handles soft ground and like Pleasant Man has had plenty of practice over our hurdles at home.

“There is no significance in the jockey bookings as Bryony Frost rides regularly for Chris Giles, the part-owner of Rubaud who we are trying in a tongue tie.”

In a deep renewal, their rivals comprise Big Boy Bobby (Alan King), Teddy Blue (Gary Moore) and The Famous Five (Venetia Williams), along with Graystone (Lucy Wadham), Moka De Vassy (Jane Williams) and Iroko (Oliver Greenall).

There are two more Grade Two contests on a cracking seven-race card, with the Coral Pendil Novices’ Chase attracting five runners.

They are headed by the Nicholls-trained Pic D’Orhy, who bids to bounce back from a lacklustre display behind L’Homme Presse in the Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase at Sandown.

“He choked late on in the Scilly Isles Chase at Sandown last time on testing ground,” said Nicholls.

“He needs a flatter track and better ground which he gets at Kempton. He is basically a very good jumper and I’m hoping to see him back at his best with conditions in his favour in a race we have won in three of the past five years.”

Minella Drama (Donald McCain) and Fantastic Lady (Henderson) both won last time out, while Millers Bank (Alex Hales) and Goa Lil (Nigel Twiston-Davies) complete the select line-up.

Five of the eight who line up in the Sky Bet Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle won when last seen, with the Gary Moore-trained Shallwehaveonemore a warm order to follow up his 20-length success at Sandown last month.

The Chris Gordon-trained Aucunrisque bids for a hat-trick after scoring by 10 lengths at Wincanton, as does Frere D’Armes, who impressed in winning at the same west country track for Dan Skelton last month.

“Obviously he is taking a big step up in grade and he is a novice,” said Skelton.

“We just thought we’d find out where we stand.

“The track is grand, the trip is fine, the ground is fine. There are no excuses. We’ll know where we stand.”

One of those who failed to win last time was five-year-old Russian Ruler, who was third on his hurdling debut at Doncaster when favourite.

Henderson said: “I think this is a really, really, really nice horse. I thought he was going to be one of our star novices, but things haven’t quite gone his way.

“I’m going to put him in good race like this and if he wins, he wins. If he doesn’t, he’ll be one for next year. He is a lovely horse.”

Iceo (Nicholls), Moriko De Vassy (Tom Symonds), Galore Desassences (Nigel Hawke) and Legionar (Harris) are among those hoping to land the valuable two-mile contest.

Though Legionar is the rank outsider with most bookmakers, Harris insists he should not be overlooked.

“In time, he will be better than Knight Salute, I should imagine. He is a good horse, a proper horse, and he will keep progressing. He is one to keep an eye on.”

Such is the competitive nature of the valuable Coral Trophy Handicap Chase that Christian Williams says rank outsider Kitty’s Light holds an equally good chance as his other two runners in Saturday’s Grade Three contest at Kempton.

Brian Hughes, who is well on course to be crowned champion jockey and hit the 200-winner mark for the season, takes the ride aboard the six-year-old, who has won four of his 12 starts over fences.

He is joined by stablemates Five Star Getaway and Cap Du Nord, who are second- and third-favourites with the sponsor respectively.

Cap Du Nord is a hard-knocking handicapper who has won five of his 26 outings over fences and was third to Windsor Avenue in the Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster last month.

Five Star Getaway earned a similar placing at Sandown three weeks ago and seeks a fifth chase win in nine starts, having scored over the same three-mile course and distance over Christmas.

Though Kitty’s Light was a well-beaten favourite at the Sunbury track last month, his in-form Glamorgan handler feels he is coming back to form.

Williams said: “I am looking forward to running all three and I couldn’t split them. It looks like everything is come in their favour and my horses are just starting to fire.

“Kitty’s Light is coming back to himself and just did a great piece of work which we had not seen during the winter, and I have a sneaky feeling that he will run a big race.

“Cap Du Nord is rated 127 and to get into a big 0-150 handicap is great.

“We are still waiting for him to show what he showed last year, but at Doncaster last time we thought he was getting there. He is down a couple of pounds as well, which will help.

“Five Star Getaway does the talking himself. Perhaps Kempton might suit him a little better than Sandown. A little bit nicer ground this time might also suit him.

“It is hard to split them. We are grateful that all the owners have let me run their horses. It is not ideal clashing, but with the prize money on offer – it is worth £150,000 and over £85,000 to the winner – and only 14 runners, it looks like a good opportunity for all of them.

“We wouldn’t swap ours for too many and we’re looking forward to it.”

Ascot’s Silver Cup Handicap Chase winner Annsam heads the market for fellow Welshman Evan Williams.

Having taken the Listed three-mile contest before Christmas, he arrives at Kempton a fresh horse.

Williams said: “He’s grand. Everything is good. He won well last time and we have just been waiting for this time of year for him.

“He had done plenty of racing before Christmas and we wanted to give him plenty of time, but this looks a nice place to go. I hope he has a good chance.”

The Big Breakaway, who was third to Monkfish in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at last season’s Cheltenham Festival, has not beaten a horse home in three starts over fences since then, yet a wind operation appeared to galvanise him on his return to hurdling.

The Colin Tizzard-trained seven-year-old goes back over the bigger obstacles after being beaten narrowly by The Brimming Water at Newbury.

Phoenix Way, runner-up to Annsam at Ascot, franked that form when scoring at the Berkshire track last month under 3lb claimer Kevin Brogan, who keeps the ride.

His trainer Harry Fry said: “He is back up in trip having won over two-five the last day.

“It is a valuable prize and we’ll see if he is up to carrying 6lb more.

“Kevin gave him a lovely ride last time and if he can do the same, we’ll be very happy. You’d expect it to be a hot race with that prize fund, but we will give it a whirl.”

Paul Nicholls is represented by both Lalor and Enrilo, who sports first-time blinkers, and they are joined by Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Rowland Meyrick winner Good Boy Bobby.

Sam Thomas, who had a big Saturday double at Ascot last weekend, saddles Our Power, who has won two of his last three and goes up in trip.

He said: “He had an entry in the Pendil Novices’ Chase as well, but we decided on going for the handicap.

“It looks a very good race. He tackles three miles for the first time, but he should handle it and we’d be hopeful of a good performance.”

The field is rounded out by Gary Moore’s Lingfield Winter Million Handicap scorer Zhiguli and the Dan Skelton-trained Beakstown, who is also going up in distance, having finished runner-up to Imperial Alcazar over and extended two and a half miles at Cheltenham last month.

Skelton said: “Beakstown is worth a step up in trip. We are happy with him.

“He ran well at Cheltenham the last day and to be fair he has been beaten by good horses in his last twice.

“He is running against good horses again on Saturday, but that is what one-hundred-and-fifty-grand races are – they are not given away.”