The Top 40 Prospects continue in tremendous form with the fourth consecutive winner in the last days. East India Express created a favourable impression when winning a bumper at Kempton in February and the Milan gelding returned to the same track on Monday for his hurdles bow. Reported to have taken time to adjust to jumping obstacles, the four year old was very good on the day which mattered and wasn't hard pressed to beat a dozen rivals by upwards of five lengths in the two miles five novice hurdle. Once Nico De Boinville pushed his mount into contention between the third and second last flights, the race was over as a contest as he stayed on strongly. Only four, Nicky Henderson suggested afterwards that he won't be rushed and is likely to contest another run of the mill event before stepping up in class. Despite showing plenty of speed in his bumper last term, he looked more of a staying type here and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him competing over three miles by the spring. There is a long way to go between now and then, but perhaps he could be lining up in something like the Grade 1 Sefton Novices' Hurdle at Aintree in April. He is another smashing prospect for the Top 40 though - there are still plenty of exciting ones to unleash yet, too.
Whilst continuing to work on the November Update, I sent a text to champion trainer Paul Nicholls on Saturday evening to ask about one of the featured horses in One Jump Ahead. His reply was instant and emphatic - an emoji of an aeroplane. All will be revealed in the November Update, which is published on Thursday evening. Please head to the Publications section of the site to order your copy, if you haven't already done so.
It has been a strange day, Storm Debi has ensured that the North West has been battered with heavy rain and high winds - my trip to Carlisle had been postponed before it even got light. Then, before we knew it, David Cameron was back in the government. Whatever next?
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