The Aidan Coleman column: O O Seven set for Doncaster mission

O O Seven is the reason I am heading to Doncaster on Saturday.

I’ve ridden him three times, including twice at the Cheltenham Festival and in the Topham. He turns up for a lot of the major handicaps, and has been very consistent over the years.

He finished off the season well when third to Top Notch at Sandown in April and appears to run well after a break.

He is taking a step down in grade here and Nicky Henderson’s horses are running great. He looks to have a good chance of getting back to winning ways in the bet365 Handicap Chase.

Earlier on the card, I am on Equus Amadeus in the bet365 Handicap Hurdle. He was 13th in the typically competitive Greatwood but before that had won nicely at Wincanton. Trainer Tom Lacey’s horses are running well and, again, this looks an easier opportunity for him. He should run well.

Over at Cheltenham I’d want to be on Rather Be in the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup if I had the choice. It’s always dangerous to second guess how a horse would have fared if he hadn’t come unstuck, but Rather Be was travelling particularly well when brought down four from home in the BetVictor Gold Cup.

He’s not an imaginative choice, but he’s the logical one.

It would be some story if The New One could claim his fourth Unibet International Hurdle. I think he has a chance to delay his retirement - I can’t see this being his swansong if he wins.

I reckon the headgear will sharpen him up and it was only 12 months ago he was narrowly beaten by My Tent Or Yours. A repeat of that could see him go very close.

Sunday service:

I am at Carlisle for one ride on Sunday, Aspen Colorado. He has already won twice around the course, including a very comfortable win in a Class 2 race last time.

He steps up in trip in the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle, which I think will suit, and has a decent chance of getting the hat-trick up.

Trust connections over Martin Pipe jockeys:

The BHA has published its report and recommendations following the fatalities at this year’s Cheltenham Festival.

A lot of it makes common sense, but I do think it would be a shame if the race conditions of the Martin Pipe are altered to remove all rider weight-claiming allowances in an attempt to encourage connections to secure the services of the most experienced jockeys.

This race could be the season’s highlight for many of those conditional riders and they’d have that taken away from them now.

I’d say most trainers and owners put a lot of thought into which conditional jockey would ride for them, taking into account experience and the weight allowance, and wouldn’t put up a rider who wasn’t up to the job.

Make a note of Johnbb:

There’s one horse I want to pick out from the last week and that’s Johnbb. I’ve ridden him on both his starts and he impressed me with his first start over hurdles at Warwick, where he was a very encouraging third. He’ll be winning his maiden or novice hurdle before long.