Gunner on target in Aintree shoot-out

Red Rum proved unequivocally that handling the unique Aintree challenge is a specialist job, so punters can take every confidence from the fact Forest Gunner put in a spectacular clear round when scoring over track and trip in the Martell Fox Hunters' at this year's Festival in April.

Richard Ford's spring-heeled ten-year-old routed the opposition that day by virtue of a mid-race surge which took him eight lengths clear of the field, an advantage he maintained all the way to the winning post.

With the ground now likely to be a little more testing, Forest Gunner may not make his move quite so early. However come the death, I fully expect him to be in among the thick of things bidding for the £50,000 prize.

In the earlier two-mile Betfair Novices' Chase, Howard Johnson takes the wraps off Chivalry (1.20) after a 214-day spring and summer break.

Chivalry won three from four over timber last term, most notably claiming the scalp of the ultra-smart Albuhera at Ayr.

Normally handicap hurdling would be next on the agenda for an individual with this type of profile, but it seems Chivalry jumps so well at home that he's being thrown in at the deep end and goes straight chasing.

It's a typically enterprising tactic by Crook-based Johnson, who is enjoying a massive revival thanks in the main to the patronage of Andrea and Graham Wylie, joint owners of Chivalry and many other expensive purchases in the stable.

With Ascot racecourse closed for redevelopment, Windsor is the current chief beneficiary, courtesy of hosting the sought-after £50,000 Coloroll Chase.

It's a race stacked with young talent and it would be no surprise if a genuine Cheltenham Festival candidate emerges from its ranks.

The prospects of Massac, Black Frost, Latitude and Non So are all respected, although the one I believe will prevail is Tikram (1.35).

Gary Moore's gelding was well tipped up to take last weekend's Paddy Power Gold Cup, though he ruined any chance he had with a series of sloppy leaps. Moore has since reported that Tikram is none the worse for his exertions and provided he can tidy up his jumping, then the flying seven-year-old is likely to possess too much toe for his principal rivals when push comes to shove in the closing stages.

The centrepiece of a cracking card at Lingfield is the £30,000 Listed Churchill Stakes over a mile-and-a-quarter. Much-improved turf performer Spanish Don will doubtless attract a good deal of support after his sensational 100-1 Cambridgeshire triumph, followed in quick succession by a hard-fought three-quarter length win in the James Seymour Stakes.

Even though Spanish Don is clearly on the crest of a wave, both of those meritorious victories were achieved on grass at stamina-sapping Newmarket, which is a far cry from the helter-skelter nature of the lightning quick track he's set to encounter today.

Reluctantly therefore, I intend to oppose David Elsworth's representative with Compton Bolter (3.15), who snatched the spoils in the contest 12 months ago with a last-gasp short-head verdict over Grand Passion.

Gerard Butler's leading all-weather campaigner is significantly better off with the latter at the weights this year which bodes extremely well for the sand specialist, especially given that he has been running with great credit on turf throughout the summer.

Finally to Wolverhampton's marathon meeting, which features ten races spread over the neck-end of five-and-a-half hours!

In terms of sheer quality, the Cashback Classified Stakes is a stand-out affair in which all bar one of the 11 runners finished in the first three on their latest outings.

I was particularly impressed by the manner that Vicious Warrior (5.30) adapted to the polytrack when collecting in a very fast time at Lingfield recently, a win which could signal the start of a money-spinning few months for the Richard Whitaker-trained raider on the winter all-weather circuit.

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