Talking Horses

Largely out of sorts last season, Mon Mome has come right back to his best in time for a second crack at the Coral Welsh National. Runner-up to Halcon Genelardais in 2006, Venetia Williams' stayer looks handicapped to go one better in today's Chepstow marathon.

Mon Mome (2.05) picked up a 4lb penalty when holding off Star de Mohaison at Cheltenham last time, but that is largely nullified by the 3lb claim used by his promising rider, Aidan Coleman. The Cheltenham form was as good as anything Mon Mome has shown since joining the Williams stable.

He went down by four lengths to Halcon Genelardais here two seasons ago, but is 9lb off with the winner, who returned last year to finish a close second behind Miko de Beauchene. The latter received 21lb that day and faces a much stiffer task.

Halcon Genelardais gets no slack from the handicapper, and Alan King probably has stronger claims with Nenuphar Collonges, the mount of stable jockey Robert Thornton. This gelding's jumping has let him down on occasions, but he did little wrong when winning at Bangor.

Chepstow 12.55 Herecomesthetruth had his Taunton win advertised by the second, Pressgang, at Kempton yesterday but he is not one to trust entirely, as he showed when running out at the last fence at Cheltenham. Presenting Copper, winner of three of her four starts here, may prove a safer proposition.

Chepstow 1.30 The move to Richard Lee's stable seems to have worked wonders for Heathcliff, who got off the mark in good style at Huntingdon. A half-brother to the smart Kingsmark, he has further improvement in him.

Kempton 1.40 Deep Purple is going the right way in his chasing career but, after Taunton and Ascot wins, he is taking on a tougher opponent in the shape of the 152-rated Oumeyade

Wetherby 1.55 Penalised winners Art Exhibtion and Pemberton could have their work cut out to contain Sacrilege, who finished well clear of the third when touched off by Banquet on his hurdles debut.

Kempton 2.15 Bible Lord is probably best suited by flat tracks like this, but the jury is out on his stamina for three miles. The trip is also an unknown with Royals Darling, but Seymar Lad stays well and, back on good ground, he can leave latest Sandown form well behind.

Wetherby 2.30 Jumping errors proved costly for Striking Article when he took on Tatenen in a Listed race at Aintree. He is definitely worth the chance to show he is better than that.

Chepstow 2.40 Pepite de Soleil had little to beat at Wincanton, but she was a Listed-race winner at Auteuil and looks very much a threat to Walkon. Time will probably show that Alan King's recruit faced an impossible task trying to give Zaynar 7lb at Newbury.

Kempton 2.45 A comfortable winner over fences at Exeter last week, Lamanver Homerun should not be inconvenienced by the switch back to hurdling.

Wetherby 3.00 The Castleford will have been the aim for Calatagan, who has won this for the past two years and can run off the same mark as when successful 12 months ago. He seems to go particularly well for today's rider, Tom Dreaper.

Kempton 3.15 Although Petit Robin is undoubtedly an exciting prospect, conditions are ideal for Twist Magic, who looked set to finish a good second to the top-class Master Minded in the Tingle Creek when he fell two out.

Horse sense

Bank on Robin to fly home for Henderson

Petit Robin (3.15), rated a potential candidate for top two-mile chase honours, can take another step up the ladder by winning today's Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton. He has not been the easiest to train, but the Nicky Henderson team have had a clear run with him since his easy Newbury win.

Best when fresh, Royals Darling (2.15) should also go well, although Andy Turnell's Bible Lord is said to be in excellent shape. The Paul Nicholls newcomer, Classic Swain (1.05), can make the most of the 10lb he receives from the previous winners in the Kempton opener.

At Chepstow, Giorgio Quercus (2.40) should be back in business. He failed to run up to his best at Cheltenham, but that race came too soon after his Hereford win. Wind Instrument (12.20) has the makings of a good novice chaser, and Nenuphar Collonges (2.05) is well fancied by the Alan King stable for the Coral Welsh National.

Art Exhibition (1.55) and Moon Over Miami (3.00) give Charlie Mann good prospects of completing a double at Wetherby, where Howard Johnson looks set to land both novice chases with Degas Art (1.20), who is best caught first time out, and Striking Article (2.30)

Shenandoah Girl (2.05) and Fair Point (3.05) are worth noting at Leicester tomorrow, and at Newbury on Monday, Sir Jimmy Shand (12.30) can make a winning debut over fences. Second in the Challow Hurdle at this track, he has benefited from a wind operation.

Ainama, bought out of Michael Wigham's stable, will carry the JP McManus colours over hurdles. Now with Nicky Henderson, the gelding has been shaping well in schooling, and we also have favourable reports concerning Rutba, who will be a rare runner over jumps for Marcus Tregoning.

Seen and heard

The giant Mad Max, unbeaten in two bumpers and a hurdle race, has been described by his trainer, Nicky Henderson, as "the biggest thoroughbred I've ever seen". But the gelding may not be the biggest racehorse in Lambourn, never mind the rest of the country. Rumour has it that a recent arrival from France at Jean-Rene Auvray's yard measures a massive 18.2 hands. We have yet to learn this one's name but he shouldn't be hard to spot when he appears on the racecourse.

There is something about champion trainers and roses. Just as Henry Cecil takes pride in his garden at Warren Place, it seems Paul Nicholls is decidedly green-fingered in Ditcheat. "I oversee everything to do with the garden. Nothing is done without my decision," he told the Sunday Times last week. Like Cecil, roses are Nicholls' speciality. But of course "loads of well-rotted horse manure" gives the likes of Whisky Mac, Tequila Sunrise and Ingrid Bergman every chance to bloom.

The round of Christmas parties laid on by various Newmarket trainers mostly went to plan last week - with one exception. At Sir Michael Stoute's lunch at the Bedford Lodge hotel, guests were surprised by the total absence of potatoes. One table asked for some, but they never did appear.

Ron Cox's tip of the day

Harry Tricker 3.45 Kempton

Gary Moore's record in handicap hurdles is impressive and the trainer looks set to strike with Harry Tricker. This ex-Flat racer has looked likely to benefit from some sort of headgear and he wears blinkers for the first time here. Harry Tricker looked to be running into form when finishing sixth behind Helens Vision at Newbury, only weakening on the run to the final flight.

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