PNicholls

I see that Timeform rate Al Ferof's third in the Victor Chandler at Ascot as the best performance by a novice chaser this season - and I couldn't agree more.

I gather they now rate Al Ferof on 161 and that is 3lb ahead of Grands Crus' Feltham win (which was 158p).

Although he jumped a bit novicey on occasions, I was delighted with his fencing in the main.

He wasn't foot perfect, but that is exactly why I ran him in the race. Namely, for the experience in a strongly run, high class race that he is very likely to get in the Arkle - and Saturday's race will clearly stand him in very good stead.

I know we always say it at this time of the year but this season's race - with Sprinter Sacre, Peddlers Cross and Cue Card to name but three - really looks a hot renewal. I am under no illusions about that, and that Al Ferof will probably need more than 2m in the future.

But, in summary, I was thrilled with the run - he is fine, along with our other winners Celestial Halo and Violin Davis - and now it is all systems go for the Arkle.

He won't run before then and my aim now is to get him ready and at his best for Cheltenham and that is exactly what I will do. As we have seen with him in the past, most obviously when finishing second in the Festival bumper and when winning the Supreme, he is at his best in the Spring too.

So I wouldn't rule out further improvement in six weeks' time.

And Timeform also make another interesting point. Now, this year's race will probably take much more winning, but they rate Al Ferof's Ascot third 2lb higher than Captain Chris' winning Arkle performance last year.

So my eyes are set on Cheltenham in March.

But Ruby is looking further ahead, it seems - in more ways than one.

I can tell you that Ruby was thrilled with Saturday as an Arkle trial.

But he also turned round to John Hales and said "what a ride he'd be in the King George next season."

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13:20 Taunton
Dualla Lord
Won all four of his 2011 points and looked set to carry on the winning theme in a 3m novice hurdle at Chepstow, only for a last flight mistake to cost him dear and see him beaten a length. But the form of that race has worked out well (the winner has won since and the 24 length third won a chase at Ffos Las last week). We pitched him at the deep end against Grands Crus over fences last time, but that run didn't tell us much as unfortunately he fell at the ninth. Has been off since then as he sustained a nasty cut to his face when falling, and we send him back over hurdles to get his confidence back. He's a horse with a future and hopefully he can put in a good show here. He's probably the form horse going into the race but he does face some interesting and unexposed horses from bumpers.

13:50 Taunton
Pearl Swan
Is a horse I own in partnership with Jared Sullivan (owner of stable sponsor Potensis) and Chris Giles, and hopefully he will give us some fun. Raced five times on the Flat in France, showing decent placed form over middle distance at some of the better tracks, and we like what we see of him at home. We have only had him since November though and we are still feeling our way with him, but let's see what he can do on the track. Jumps nicely, and he does get weight all round as a 4yo.

14:50 Taunton
Express Leader
Ran a very encouraging race when second to Drumbaloo at Chepstow in October and he ran far better than his finishing position implies over 2m1f at Exeter last time as he was still travelling well enough when blundering three out. Steps up markedly in trip but has form over 3m and I am convinced that he has a handicap hurdle in him off this mark. Let's hope he proves me right today, and I think this trip will suit him better.

15:20 Taunton
Ranjaan
Fair middle distance winner on the Flat in France and I have to admit that I was initially disappointed with his second at Newbury first time up. But the form looks better than I originally thought and he bounced back from an unfortunate fall at Doncaster (he caught a swinging hurdle) with a win at Kempton over Christmas. The form of that race isn't working out though - the second was unplaced at odds-on in an ordinary race at Musselburgh next time - and I think a mark of 132 is high enough on what he has done so far. But I see Timeform have him top-rated, so perhaps I shouldn't complain too much! This is a horse I like and he is still very much in my Triumph Hurdle plans, so let us hope he can progress enough to land this prize and keep the Festival hopes alive.

15:50 Taunton
Fistral Beach
Very talented horse on his day and that is usually after a break, so we have freshened him up after a disappointing pulled up effort at Newbury last time, where his jumping was not great. But if back to the form of his reappearance win at Wetherby, then he clearly has excellent claims here. Schooled nicely on Wednesday morning.

16:20 Taunton
Presenting Arms
Ran very much as in need of the experience when a 30 length fifth at Plumpton in November. Hopefully, you see a better horse today but he will clearly have needed to improve markedly to figure here. My bumper horses do progress with experience though, as we don't do a great deal with them at home.

Suspect
Was a very surprising springer in the market on his debut at Newbury last season, and only beat two home. But he showed dramatic improvement in finishing under two lengths third at Wincanton last time. Well-related individual who hopefully will continue on the upward curve and he has each way claims.

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I was obviously very pleased to hear that Zarkandar will be left on a mark of 151 for the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury next month. And I am clearly very keen to run the horse in what is now Europe's richest handicap hurdle since Betfair backed the race.

Zarkandar is only workmanlike at home - Brampour used to murder him over 5f last season - so, while he is pleasing me, he is never going to tell you that much from his work. He does it on the track.

So while it could be argued that he is theoretically well-handicapped with the Triumph Hurdle form working out so well and should take his chance come what may, I have decided to give him a racecourse gallop in the next 10 days to see whether he will be ready in time to do himself justice at Newbury.

That gallop will decide where we go next with the horse.

The Champion Hurdle is the only race that matters for him though, he is in good order and touch wood the summer breathing operation seems to have helped. I know this much - he used to make a noise when schooling but he doesn't any more.

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We have saddled 14 consecutive losers since Hold Fast won at Sandown on January 7, but am I worried with the overall form of the yard?

The answer is an emphatic no.

I have made no secret of the fact that January is often a very quiet month for me, both on the runner and winner front, because that is my modus operandi. As Jenny Barons used to say to me, work them hard up until the New Year, back off for a few weeks, then steadily stoke the work into them and start all over again.

And part of backing off the horses and giving them a mid-season breather is administering flu jabs over the Christmas period. That is a common factor to all the horses.

But is there another connected, underlying concern to the arguably below-par form of the horses?

It is clearly not always possible to be definitive and pinpoint problems - you only have to look at the difference between Kauto Star this season and last - but I like to think that I can give you a specific reason for each disappointing run, or at least offer a plausible reason why.

Mind you, some of my owners may disagree there!

However, and in all seriousness, it must be said that Prospect Wells really had me scratching my head after his lifeless performance in the Tolworth at Sandown. I was at a total loss.

It would have been all too easy to have simply written it off as trainer error for running the horse too soon after Ascot and as an afterthought - after all, we only put him in the Tolworth after the race re-opened at the five day stage - but the way he ran suggested there was far, far more to it than that.

So we looked into it.

When you haven't specifically geared a horse towards a big race, a disappointing run is always a danger. But it must be stressed that he did more than enough in his work on the Thursday before the race to take his chance. But the run was too bad to be true and Ruby said to me that the horse sounded thicker in his wind than he normally does.

There is always the temptation to write off performances like this as simply a bad day at the office and move on - we all have them, after all - but you don't leave any stone unturned with horses as good as Prospect Wells. And I wouldn't be doing my job if I did.

So we got Geoff Lane in to take a look at him, and scope him, and thank god we did.

Because he discovered that the horse had an entrapped epiglottis and that 100 per cent explains the Sandown run. You are now going to ask me what an entrapped epiglottis means. To keep it simple, it is like a car running on two cylinders instead of four.

So he is being operated on this Saturday. The reason we are leaving it until this weekend is because Geoff has organised for a specialist in this field to come and operate on him. The operation doesn't involve a general anaesthetic.

I do know that one high-profile horse had the same problem last season, was operated on in in the first week of February, and then won at Cheltenham. So hopefully we still have a Festival horse on our hands.

Prospect Wells has options in both the Supreme and County Hurdle, and we have won the County with novices in the past, such as American Trilogy in 2009 and Desert Quest in 2006.

Plans and ratings change, but at this stage I would be leaning towards the Supreme. But, honestly, I am not sure, so bear that in mind when you are betting.

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You would have thought after 30 races and 19 victories for us - among them five King Georges, four Betfair Chases and two Gold Cups - that I would have seen it all with Kauto Star.

But the horse continues to astound me.

He came out of his box this morning, even with the temperature at -1, with a real spring in his step and I can tell you now that I have never seen the horse look better. Never. He looked superb in his coat and if you thought he looked in great condition in the paddock at Kempton on Boxing Day, then you really should have been here this morning. He looked magnificent.

He has come out of the race unbelievably well, has put on weight after Kempton, and Clifford can't believe how fresh he is. In truth, we would have liked to have done a little less with him, but he is so well in himself that we had to get him back cantering much earlier than we expected.

He is in a really good place at the moment and, if I can get him to Cheltenham on March 16 in the same kind of form he is in at the moment, I will be a very happy man.

He is one of five entries I have in the Gold Cup, and I will take this opportunity to give you a brief update on the rest.

What A Friend came back a sick horse from Wetherby but he is back on track now and the aim is for him to run in the Betfair Denman Chase at Newbury next month and then on to the Gold Cup, in which he finished a superb fourth last season, just a nose behind Kauto.

The Minack and Tidal Bay are both on course to take on Grands Crus and Time For Rupert in the Argento Chase at Cheltenham on January 28. The Minack would probably need soft ground to run in the Gold Cup but we will see how he gets on this month, and he certainly impressed me when winning at Ascot off a mark of 150 last time. I was also happy enough with Tidal Bay's comeback in a handicap hurdle and, as well as the Gold Cup, he will have an entry in the World Hurdle, a race in which he finished seventh in two years ago. Tidal Bay finished second to Neptune Collonges in the Argento last year.

Andy Stewart's Poquelin is far more likely to be aimed at the Ryanair. He could go to Cheltenham for a handicap on the 28th, where he will be keeping the Cleeve Hurdle-bound Big Buck's company.

Big Buck's is another in very good order.

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I have five entries in the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury next month, and I see that Zarkandar heads the market at around the 7.0 mark.

But a word of warning for punters: I have made no firm plans for the race at this stage for any of my entries.

As it stands, I would say that Celestial Halo and Empire Levant would be likely runners.

Celestial Halo was awesome in winning at the course on New Year's Eve, and that brought his record in handicap hurdles to three from three. And when you consider that win came off a mark of 160, you realise what a high-class performance that was. It is further proof that, while he can struggle off level weights against the top guns over 2m, he has the necessary class to give weight away to lesser horses. So, on a track he loves, he looks set to take his chance, even though he has been raised to 165. Not many horses win handicaps off those kind of marks but I do have the option of taking 7lb off with Harry Derham.

Empire Levant is a horse I like but was held up after being cast in his box over Christmas. If he isn't ready in time, he will go straight to the County Hurdle at Cheltenham. If Celestial Halo runs, he will have a nice racing weight.

It was nice of one reporter this week to point out to the handicapper how well the 2011 Triumph Hurdle form is working out, and I have been very happy with Zarkandar since his setback (like Empire Levant, he too was cast in his box). But if you fancy him, then I would hold fire for the time being. He has alternative engagements at Wincanton, Haydock and Sandown, and conditions, as well as his well-being nearer the time, will dictate where he goes.

But he is shaping very well at home and the only race that matters for him is the Champion Hurdle.

I see Brampour is available at well over 100.0 on Betfair for the Champion Hurdle, and he would have been a fraction of that price had we not run him last time. He is 100pc at home. As for Rock On Ruby, he probably goes straight to the Champion.

To round off, I may as well give you a quick summary of my Ryanair entries, too. I have outlined in other columns today the plans for Kauto Stone and Poquelin, and I may aim The Nightingale at a handicap at Ascot on January 21, while Aerial may go to for a handicap at Cheltenham on January 28. Woolcombe Folly needs to step up on his efforts this season but better ground and a longer trip may just see him in a better light.

However, as normal with horses, none of the above is set in stone and things change weekly.

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The 2011 King George will always be a bitter-sweet race for me.

Yes, it provided me with one of the greatest racing days of my life when Kauto Star won the race for the fifth time. And I would like to take this opportunity, on behalf of the horse, to thank all those who have contacted the stable with their kind cards and messages in the wake of the win.

However, I would be lying if I didn't admit that Master Minded's injury in the race didn't take some shine off the victory.

But it occurred to me that the complete story of Master Minded's day hasn't been fully told or due credit given to the appropriate people. So I aim to put that right here.

Master Minded clearly injured himself during the race, but two things immediately helped minimise the damage at that point; the first is that Daryl was quick to recognise there was a problem and promptly pulled him up and, secondly, Master Minded was wearing protective boots.

Daryl dismounted and walked him back, and we could immediately see that he was lame in front. But, with the adrenalin up, horses at that stage tend not to feel the pain and show the full discomfort - rather like humans, in that respect.

He was taken straight to the vets box at the racecourse and there we obviously saw that he had visible damage in the form of a cut. At that stage we could ascertain that it was a serious cut to the tendon area, without knowing the true extent of the damage.

But it is crucial that you administer immediate care to minimise any infection as soon as possible. Once in the box, he was in the care of Clive Hamlin, who hosed the injured area with a saline solution to flush out all the foreign bodies (mud, grass etc) in the cut.

And then he gave him antibiotics to reduce the risk of further infection and applied a massive supporting bandage, to restrict movement and avoid further injury.

At this stage, the racecourse veterinary ambulance was made available to us and the Newmarket vets were contacted to prepare for surgery. For this to be available on Boxing Day and for Ian Wright, one of the world's leading veterinary surgeons, to be on hand to perform the operation speaks volumes for the level of care that our industry gives its' horses.

As soon as Master Minded arrived in Newmarket, they operated straight away and at 9:30pm we got a call to say that the operation had been "challenging but successful." And when the top man in his field says that an operation has been "challenging", you know how serious the injury was.

But Master Minded came through it, and is now past the worst - but he's by no means out of the woods. As with any recuperation from any operation, human or equine, there can be subsequent complications. But with tendon injuries, time is the healer, as it allows it to knit and regrow.

He is now standing in a big, padded box at Newmarket for the next few weeks, and it helps that he is a very gentle horse and therefore the best of patients. Some horses are far more wired and can panic in these circumstances, and that brings on secondary complications like colic.

So there you have it. It is far too early to talk of what the future holds for Master Minded, but we know his past, and that is that he was one of the best and most consistent Grade 1 winning racehorses in recent years. Two Champion Chases among eight Grade 1 wins, tell you that.

I would like this opportunity to thank everyone involved in the immediate aftermath of the injury, from Daryl and all my staff at Kempton on the day, the racecourse itself, Clive and the veterinary staff at the track, and Ian and all those at Newmarket. Collectively, it is no exaggeration to say that they saved Master Minded's life.

In fact, it is debatable that any of our top sportsman and athletes would have got such world-class medical attention on Boxing Day - and that speaks volumes for our sport, and its' love and commitment to its horses.

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January is traditionally a quiet spell for us, because it is flu jab time again at Ditcheat.

The horses have the first of their two yearly jabs when they come in from their summer breaks in June and July, and they have another around this time. In fact, we have been injecting them since mid-December and we will finish off after the remainder of the horses have run this weekend. At this stage, I would guess that 98 per cent of the horses have had their jabs.

For example, Kauto Star won the King George on Boxing Day and had his the day after.

I like my horses not to get hot or to sweat for a week after the jab, so their routine is very light afterwards. They will have a day's rest after the jab, then go for a walk the next day, and just a canter on the third.

Jenny Barons always said to me to get the horses fit and run them hard up until January and then ease off them for a few weeks, and bring them back fresh and fitter after the break.

It means that we aren't firing on all cylinders, and don't have too many runners, this month.

But it is a system that has stood us in pretty good stead for 20 years here at Ditcheat.

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After jumping and running so disappointingly at Cheltenham on New Year's Day, we have decided to send Sonofvic back over hurdles for the rest of the season.

He ran a great race first time up over fences when second to Grands Crus at Newbury, but Monday told us that he needs more time and experience, and he clearly isn't a Sun Alliance horse on that form.

So we will keep him as a novice over fences for next season. With more experience and runs under his belt, he will be fine.

He is only very lightly-raced, winning both his hurdles last season, and the plan is for him to maybe have three more runs this season, possibly starting in a handicap hurdle at Sandown on February 4. He is currently rated 141 over hurdles.

A couple of more interesting snippets while I am on.

We had to abandon third lot today, as the wind and rain was horrific here from 10.30am to 12.30pm. I have never seen rain like it in my 20 years here at Ditcheat.

But, perhaps more interestingly, I have entered both Al Ferof and Kauto Stone for the Victor Chandler Chase at Ascot on January 21.

The more likely runner in that race at this stage is Al Ferof, as I am currently favouring the Betfair Ascot Chase on February 18 for Kauto Stone.

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At the start of the season, Zarkandar was obviously my leading contender for the Champion Hurdle.

But we have been lucky enough to have Rock On Ruby and, to a lesser extent, Brampour confirm themselves as contenders for the race during the season. So it is very heartening that we have three possibles for the Champion Hurdle, the race that has so far eluded me that I most want to win.

Who knows, Rock On Ruby may have been far shorter in the betting (he is currently 14.0 on Betfair) had he jumped the final flight cleanly in the Christmas Hurdle on Boxing Day. But in any event you have to be thrilled with his neck second to Binocular there, with a further 8 lengths back to such a good yardstick in Overturn. He has come a long way in his two runs this season, and we know Cheltenham suits him well. The current plan is to go straight to the Festival with him.

And don't be too hasty to write off Brampour, though I see the Betfair market has, as he is trading at 95 for the race! We took a chance of running him at Ascot a week after his excellent third in the International (where Harry couldn't claim his 7lb), and it didn't come off. But we will bring him back a fresh horse and see where we are; the likelihood is that he will run before the Festival and that will tell us where to go.

But the horse that everyone is starting to ask me about is Triumph Hurdle winner Zarkandar, who trades as the joint third favourite for the Champion (at 9.8 on Betfair).

Well, we have no definite plan with Zarkandar at the moment but several options, with maybe the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury, the Kingwell at Wincanton, or Haydock possible first ports of call before Cheltenham.

I can tell you that he is in good order though, and coming along very nicely, and he had his first school of the season on grass on Thursday morning in company with Dildar.

He is over the problem that set him back for three weeks earlier in the season - he banged himself and was cast in his box - and in fact that was probably a blessing in disguise, as we have been able to take our time with him.

He has come on really on well physically too, as he is a much bigger, stronger horse. And of course he also had a breathing operation in the summer.

He always made a noise when working and schooling and, if he had gone to Kempton first time up and finished down the field, I would have probably have had it done there and then and put him away for the season.

So, hopefully we have a stronger and cleaner-winded horse to go to war with this season.

Not that the form of the Triumph is working out too badly.

The runner-up Unaccompanied won the Istrabraq at Leopardstown on Thursday, the third Grandouet won the International last time, and a certain Brampour (9th) hasn't done too badly either.

So we are really looking forward to seeing him back on the track. It will hopefully be well worth the wait.

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