TO anyone thinking that “last orders” had long since been rung for pre-Cheltenham, last week’s action showed a few latecomers legging it to the bar to get one in just in time before the big event.

No horse managed to advance its claims at the 11th hour more than did Tritonic in the Grade 2 Adonis Juvenile Hurdle at Kempton. The useful flat recruit – good enough to finish second at Royal Ascot – made it two wins out of two and was more impressive than he had been at Ascot on his hurdling debut in accounting for Casa Loupi by 10 lengths.

In overall time terms, Tritonic’s win was respectable rather than exceptional. It was, by my calculations, a fraction slower than that posted by Cape Gentleman in winning the Grade 2 Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle 35 minutes later, with the latter carrying 4lb more.

However, while Tritonic was quicker until three out, then slower from there to the last, he was especially quick up the short run-in which he covered in 13.6s compared to Cape Gentleman’s 14.3s (a difference of three to four lengths). The strong suspicion is that Tritonic will relish the extended two miles and the uphill finish at Cheltenham if nothing else.

I have Tritonic on 147 after this, which would normally get him pretty close to winning the Triumph, but which may not be sufficient this year with Zanahiyr (155), Quilixios (150) and French Aseel (148) already having staked strong claims. Tritonic does look like just about the best of the Brits, however.

Gentleman rallied

The year-older Cape Gentleman is now on 144 – with the runner-up to him, Calico, on 143 – after a rallying win in what was quite a weak affair for a Grade 2, his task made easier by the favourite Atholl Street’s going too freely. He should stay the 21 furlongs of the Ballymore despite pulling too hard in the 22-furlong novice hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival.

The Grade 2 Pendil Novices’ Chase earlier on the Kempton card may have had a bearing on Cheltenham, not so much in what Tamaroc Du Mathan achieved in winning readily but in what it says about Shishkin, who thrashed him on this course at Christmas.

That was at two miles, and this was at an extended two and a half, but Saturday’s race scarcely tested stamina – Tamaroc Du Mathan’s overall time was 1.8s slower than managed by 130-rated handicapper My Way later on – and the two efforts look comparable in form terms at least. Tamaroc Du Mathan remains on 146 (time value of this just 117).

Smart Clondaw

There is little disputing the merit of the win of Clondaw Castle in the big three-mile handicap chase.

He not only saw off 16 rivals but did so in a well-run affair which tested stamina despite the prevailing “good” going.

In the process, Clondaw Castle was living up to his breeding, if not my initial expectations, in staying this far, and he gets credited with a very smart 158 timefigure (the joint-best in the period under review).