Hail The Chief Chief Yeoman looks to have been laid out for one of the most competitive handicaps of the season at Newbury on Saturday, the totesport Trophy. Trained in Herefordshire, by Venetia Williams the six-year-old has bounced back to form with a vengeance this season after a long lay-off since his juvenile days. As a four-year-old he was up there with the best of his generation and finished second to Made In Japan in the gruelling Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. The following season he only visited a racecourse on two occasions, but on the second of those he was a creditable runner-up to Perouse in the Grade Two Elite Hurdle at Wincanton, where he finished in front of horses such as Albuhera, Hand Inn Hand and Rigmarole. A further 13 month lay-off ensued, but he showed he retains all his ability by finishing second to the promising novice Acambo, who is set to reoppose here on 13lb worse terms. He then finished fourth of 20 runners in the Ladbroke Hurdle at Sandown in testing conditions which certainly wouldn´t have suited. He travelled like a dream that day only to tire as the ground and the hill began to take their toll. Newbury´s flat track will suit him much better and this ex-Sir Michael Stoute trained gelding has the class to pick up a race of this stature. At the available 14-1 he rates a cracking each-way bet. With the weights headed by the John Queally-trained Al Eile, winner of the Haydock Champion Hurdle Trial and conqueror of Inglis Drever at Aintree, Chief Yeoman gets in on a handy 10st 4lb. With Al Eile all set to take his chance as his preparation for a tilt at either the Champion or World Hurdle at the Festival, many of the likely dangers will be racing from out of the handicap. Al Eile finished third in the race last year and despite improving all the time, whether he has improved to the tune of 24lb, his new mark, is another matter. In recent years though welter burdens have not stopped the better horses. Both Rooster Booster and Copeland have run with great credit and current Gold Cup favourite Monkerhostin could manage only third off a feather weight of 10st 2lb so that proves a low weight is not essential. Paul Nicholls seems to be carrying all before him this year and his likely representatives at this stage are Nolan and Natal, two very smart novices. Natal was put in his place in open company last time in the Christmas Hurdle at Sandown won by Feathard Lady - no disgrace in that but the likely hurly-burly of this race is a different kettle of fish. Noland on the other hand already has a Grade One race to his credit, the Tolworth Hurdle in early January but that looked weak on paper. He did it well though and he could give the selection most to think about. ? PA Sport
