Top 40 Prospects double Killer Kane (5/6) & Amarillo Sky (5/2)

With the Cheltenham Festival a week away, it was encouraging to see Colin Tizzard send out a double at Exeter on Tuesday. The pair, namely Killer Kane (5/6) and Amarillo Sky (5/2), are both featured in the Top 40 Prospects of One Jump Ahead. Both ex-Irish pointers, they had shaped with promise earlier in the season but it was good to see them finally start to fulfil their potential. 

Killer Kane had been reeled in on the run-in on his Rules debut at Aintree in October but was then absent for 112 days. Reappearing at Exeter last month, the Oscar gelding held every chance at the third last before dropping out disappointingly late on. Beaten nearly 25 lengths that day, the half-brother to Cheltenham Festival winner Go Native was much straighter on this occasion and, having being left in front as early as the second flight, he stayed on powerfully to beat Our Surprise by five and a half lengths. Rated 127 beforehand, fences and further will be his future but the six year old is capable of winning again over hurdles this spring. He looked a useful prospect here.

Stablemate Amarillo Sky had only finished seventh on his handicap debut at Warwick last month. I spoke to his rider Harry Cobden the following day at Carlisle and he thought the five year old would win beforehand but raced too keenly in testing ground. Similar to Killer Kane, he improved considerably on that effort and looked a well handicapped young hurdler as he made all to win by seven lengths off a mark of 115. He, too, could have a productive spring campaign having his liking for drier ground. 

28 of the Top 40 Prospects have now won at least one race this season - 43 winners in total. I am working at Catterick on Wednesday for Racing TV but will be back to work on Ahead On The Flat and the Cheltenham Festival Update later in the week. Just a reminder, the One Jump Ahead Cheltenham Festival Update will be emailed to clients on Sunday (14th) pm.

If you haven't already ordered a copy, please head to the Publications section of the site. Also, if you would like to join myself, Stewart Machin, Michael Shinners, Gary O'Brien, David Pipe, Tom Scudamore, with guest appearances from Ed Chamberlin and Tom Lacey, for the Value Racing Club Cheltenham preview night, please contact James Couldwell at contact@valueracingclub.co.uk.