Black Thunder can roll home a winner

The former, at 3.35, has always been a stamina-sapping, grinding race as well as a real test of jumping, as the back straight set of fences at the track are some of the most upright on the horse-racing circuit and require precision fencing twice in this three-mile and five-furlong event.

With last year’s winner Hey Big Spender taken out, the weights have gone up and that suits the Alan King-trained Godsmejudge.

The lightly raced seven-year-old produced a career-best at Folkestone last time out when staying on very strongly to beat The Musical Guy by half a length over an extended three miles and although he will need more to capture this valuable prize, this step-up in distance looks very much in his favour.

Mr Malarkey ran a cracking race in the 2012 renewal, running on strongly down the home stretch for the final time to fill fourth spot and if the ground doesn’t ride too testing, he too has claims, having run well behind Lively Baron first time up at Sandown.

Likely favourite Pete the Feat is now 40lbs higher than when initiating his superb five-timer this season and is rightly feared but worth taking on at the price, and a bigger danger could come from lightly raced outsider Flying Award.

All this horse does is stay and if he can remain in touch with the field going down the far side for the final time, could be a massive danger at a double-figure price.

The Lanzarote Hurdle at Kempton Park (2.40) looks wide open, but I shall be having a small wager on Black Thunder with Harry Derham taking a valuable five pounds off his back.

The six-year-old was far from disgraced when finishing strongly behind Yesyoucan at Haydock Park and this test just might be right up his street.

On the all-weather at Lingfield Park, Dancing Freddy finally looks ready to strike again in the 2.00, while I fancy a big run from Mawaakef in the 3.10.