CONDITIONS at Newbury by this Saturday could have forced Paul Nicholls into a reshuffle of troops for the Betfair Hurdle.

The ground is already very soft at the Berkshire course, with further rain on the horizon, and the trainer’s reluctance to risk ante-post favourite Irving in such conditions has seen stablemate Irish Saint leap ahead of him in the sponsors’ market.

Irving could then be steered back down the novice route towards Cheltenham with another of the Axom syndicate’s horses, Far West, taking his place.

Nicholls said of Irving, who is unbeaten in three starts since arriving from Germany: ‘‘I’d be very concerned if the ground got very testing at the weekend, so we’ll have to see how it unfolds.

‘‘We’re keen to run, but he’s not the biggest or most robust and he definitely wants decent ground.

‘‘He’ll get an entry in the County Hurdle at Cheltenham but I want to run him in the Supreme and if he doesn’t run on Saturday, he could go for the Dovecote at Kempton instead.

‘‘Far West was going to run in the National Spirit at Fontwell but I left him in at the last minute in case I didn’t run Irving as he’s owned by the same people and it gives us options.’’ Irish Saint was a leading juvenile who won the Adonis at Kempton and finished third at Aintree last season.

After a slow start to the new campaign, he won a valuable handicap at Ascot by 11 lengths last month and gets into the Betfair with a 5lb penalty.

‘‘I’m quite sure on Saturday you’ll need a horse who stays two and a half miles,’’ said Nicholls.

‘‘He stays well and is a few pounds ‘well-in’. He must have a leading chance.’’ 􀁧 Jockey George Baker enjoyed another excellent afternoon on the all-weather at Kempton with a near 85-1 four-timer.

Baker, regarded as one of the most talented riders on the artificial surfaces during the winter months, got off to an excellent start with 1-2 favourite Jubilee Brig to a clear-cut victory in the Download The BetVictor App Now Claiming Stakes.

Baker swiftly doubled up aboard Stuart Williams’ 11-10 favourite Welsh Sunrise in the Back Of The Net At BetVictor.

com Fillies’ Handicap, before completing his hat-trick on Galiotto (7-2) for Moore in the first division of the Book Hospitality At Kempton Park Handicap.

The rider suffered his first defeat of the day when only fourth aboard Joyful Risk in the BetVictor NonRunner No Bet Cheltenham 2014 Maiden Fillies’ Stakes, but was back in the winner’s enclosure after striking with the William Jarvis-trained Dixie’s Dream (5-1) in the Cheltenham 2014 NRNB At BetVictor.com Handicap.