BEACHCOMBER was raised by 9lb by the handicapper for winning a three-mile handicap chase at Kempton over Christmas, but that may not be sufficient to prevent him adding to his haul in the Ladbrokes Trophy back at Kempton this afternoon.

The O’Neills’ horse was very good at Christmas. He was quickly into his racing rhythm, prominent from early. He didn’t have it all to himself up front, he was hassled and he was passed by Frero Banbou.

But he wrested the lead back on the run down the side of the track, and a good jump at the third last fence, the first in the home straight, propelled him to a race-winning advantage.

A 9lb hike is not insignificant, but he won by 10 lengths, and it is easy to argue (if difficult to prove) that he would have won with 9lb more on his back.

As well as that, it was just his fourth run over fences, he has bundles of scope for further progression as a staying chaser.

That was a career-best performance, on his first run over fences at Kempton, in blinkers for the first time, replacing the cheekpieces that he had worn for the first time on his previous run at Cheltenham.

He seemed to enjoy going right-handed too, and a lot of his good runs over hurdles and fences have been at right-handed tracks, Kempton, Exeter, Huntingdon, Punchestown.

He has a lot of those elements in place again today: right-handed, Kempton, blinkers, three miles. The ground shouldn’t be too dissimilar either.

Style of racing

On the negative side, he is up in grade and, while his forward-going style of racing should be well-suited to Kempton, that hasn’t been the case in this race in recent years, a race in which recent winners have tended to come from mid-division.

That said, he doesn’t have to lead. He can just sit behind the pace if Hyland or Lowry’s Bar or someone else wants to go on.

It is more important that he gets into his racing and jumping rhythm from early and, given how easily he found his rhythm last time, over today’s course and distance, there is every reason to expect that he can do so again.

He has had a nice break, he hasn’t run since late December and it is probable that, given how impressive he was at Christmas, connections have had this race in mind for him since then, over the same course and distance.

Lowry’s Bar is obviously a danger, he is a lightly-raced and classy novice. A late scratching from last weekend’s Grade 2 Reynoldstown Chase, the Malinas gelding was a little unlucky not to get even closer to Jingko Blue in the Grade 2 Hampton Chase than he did, when a mistake at the third last fence militated against his chances significantly.

Last year’s winner Our Power is a player again, but he is 10 now and it’s going to be difficult for him, racing off a 3lb higher mark. Golden Son could be a bigger danger.

Paul Nicholls’ horse has over 10 lengths to find with Beachcomber on their running at Christmas, but he is 9lb better off and it may be that this race will be run to suit his hold-up style of racing more. That said, Beachcomber won with plenty in hand last time, and that may not be factored into the market sufficiently.

Eider Chase

Earlier on the day at Newcastle, Choosethenews could be the answer to the Virgin Bet Eider Chase.

A winner over two and a half miles on heavy ground at Newcastle last April, he was pulled up on his first attempt at three miles under rules at Carlisle in early December in a race that O’Connell won, but he put that run behind him last time when, returned to Newcastle, he stayed on well to finish second behind If Not For Dylan over two miles and seven and a half furlongs.

The winner led from flagfall at a strong pace that day, and Choosethenews appeared to get out-paced when they quickened at the third last fence, dropping to fifth and looking like he was going to finish out of the places. But he stayed on really well from the second last, getting up for second place and closing on the winner all the way to the line.

That was a career-best performance from Mark Walford’s horse, recorded over the longest distance over which he had ever raced under rules and staying on well at the end. And the handicapper left him on his mark of 126, which was fair.

Of course, this is another significant step up in trip, there is no way of knowing whether or not he will stay this extreme distance, but there is every chance that he will.

A point-to-point winner, he is by Westerner and he is from the family of Simply Supreme, who stayed three miles well.

The return to Newcastle is another positive, his record there reads 212 and, an eight-year-old who has raced just seven times over fences, he has the potential for further progression now as a staying chaser.

Choosethenews - 2.10 Newcastle, 10/1 (generally), 1 point each-way

Beachcomber - 3.35 Kempton, 7/1 (generally), 1 point win

Donn recommened last week’s Ascot winner The Changing Man at 6/1