IT was nice to get some big-field action back at both Kempton and Warwick and there were a few eyecatchers in races at both tracks, although I should have a say on the graded race winners first.

Banbridge won the Silviniaco Conti in good style despite a less-than-convincing display of jumping.

He’s a forward-going type, and tends to get on his forehand when jumping at speed, which isn’t ideal over fences, but his willingness helps him out, and although not meeting the last ideally, he showed a great attitude to get over and away better than Pic d’Orhy.

His chance in the Ryanair revolves around the ground, and the closer it is to good, the better his chance. A 2022-vintage Allaho would take him off his feet, but I think the current version of the dual winner is lacking that old dash, and there is little else to be scared of in the race, for all it will be competitive.

Grey Dawning also impressed in beating a couple of very useful sorts at Warwick in a smart time for the conditions. He clearly has an impressive engine, and jumped well in the main, but went markedly to the left at the last two fences when coming through to win.

That might seem a small thing to crab, but the way he failed to take off at the second-last fence at Cheltenham on his penultimate start is a definite concern, and he seems quite straight-backed in the way he jumps, which is a trait he is likely to keep.

He’s in the Turners and the Brown Advisory, but if you were considering backing him, I would recommend waiting to see how he performs in the Scilly Isles next time. If his jumping left is to be a problem, it will be shown up at Sandown, as will any lack of mobility.

OF those who went into my notebook on the supporting cards at Kempton and Warwick, the first is Klitschko (Alan King) at the latter track, although it’s a case of the good, the bad and the ugly with the J.P. McManus-owned hurdler.

He looked reluctant to go with the others initially and then plunged at the opening hurdle which almost put him out of the race completely. He jumped another couple slowly before working into contention before another mistake three out briefly interrupted his progress, but he was back to challenge in the straight before finding only favourite Donnacha too strong in the finish.

It’s clear that Klitschko, a bumper winner on debut and a horse who has gone into many notebooks in his short career over hurdles to date, is well handicapped to have made the progress he did from an unpromising position, and he will be fancied to put the wrong right when he next appears.

Ability isn’t enough, however, and while it would help to be able to find a reason for his poor jumping (something must not be right physically), he’s a horse I would be happy to oppose in any company next time given the red flags he was throwing up.

The reluctance to race combined with exaggerated hold-up tactics in his previous races hint strongly at temperament, as does the fact he’s been hooded since throwing in a similar display of jumping on his hurdles debut last season.

Fully engaged

I wasn’t entirely sure that Klitschko was fully engaged with the battle to the line, either, and while that’s easy to forgive in isolation, put together with the other negatives, he looks one to be wary of.

In my experience, horses who shape like him did tend to be overbet as the focus tends to be on the potential improvement rather than on questioning why the horse hasn’t delivered.

On a much more positive note, I thought that Lanzarote fifth Serious Operator (Lucinda Russell) shaped as if not finished on his progressive path and likely to be hard to beat dropped a little in class next time. Ridden by a low-percentage conditional, he conceded first run when the field bunched on the home turn but kept on steadily despite losing a shoe and was going on nicely at the finish to be beaten a little over eight lengths, with a gap back to the others.

This was an encouraging display for a horse rated 126 and who appears to stay further than the two miles and five furlongs trip, and he will have plenty of options going forward. Lanzarote fourth Good Look Charm also caught the eye with a view to going back up in trip, and if she can get out of the habit of belting one at a crucial stage, she can continue to pay her way over hurdles.

Warwick

In the Classic Chase, I thought the right horses came to the fore, so it makes sense to keep the winner My Silver Lining (Emma Lavelle) on side given she is unexposed at marathon trips and remains at the right end of the handicap.

She overcame a fairly rough run and jumped impeccably at Warwick, so there are very few negatives with her, with little chance she will be overfaced in the short term. The Midlands National has been mooted, but a race like the Bet365 Gold Cup would look ideal to me.

Once dominated by Gold Cup horses, the end-of-season handicap is not the attraction it was in bygone days, and she would get in with a light weight on her current rating.

A WORK conversation last week turned to the inevitable prospect of a five-day Festival and those involved talked about what new races might be included. It’s a well-worn discussion, but it gave me an option of re-jigging one of my old favourites.

In my view, an extra day (shame, shame, etc) would need to be on the Monday and the perfect way to start would be with a selling hurdle, as used to be the case many years ago. But not just any selling hurdle, obviously.

My minor tweak would now see the opener as a maiden hurdle for four-year-olds who have never raced under rules, with the winner to be sold at a public auction in the winners’ enclosure immediately afterwards. Just imagine the scenes!

The race would, of course, feature the winners or placed horses from four-year-old maiden points from various corners of Ireland, all of whom tend to rock up at Cheltenham in any case, only largely avoiding the racecourse as they go.

What better shop window for point-to-point vendors than an actual race at the Cheltenham Festival to sort out the swans from the overhyped geese. It seems almost flawless in concept, and the crowd would love it, as would the big punters and bigger spenders.

Then again, the fellas with the geese won’t like it. And nor will the spoilsports at the Jockey Club, come to think of it. Ah well, it was fun while it lasted.