Sonnyanjoe Primed For Another Lucrative Raid

Recent Cheltenham victor Sonnyanjoe is among 45 entries for a highly-competitive renewal of the £100,000 Betfair 'Fixed Brush' Handicap Hurdle (1.35pm), run over an extended two miles and seven furlongs at Haydock Park on Saturday, November 24, day one of the Northwest Racing Masters.

Sonnyanjoe's trainer Tom Hogan revealed today: 'It is a strong possibility that he will run, as he is very well after his run at Cheltenham on Saturday. That is three races he has won in England now, so it would be lovely if he could make it four.'

The Betfair 'Fixed Brush' Handicap Hurdle, run for the first time this year over fixed brush hurdles, is one of the highlights on day one of the fantastic two-day Northwest Racing Masters, which continues at Aintree on Sunday, November 25, with a thrilling six-race card that includes the £70,000 totepool Grand Sefton Handicap Chase (1.40pm) and the £100,000 Listed totesport.com Becher Chase (2.50pm), both contested over the world famous Grand National course.

Sonnyanjoe scored decisively by three and a half lengths under Paddy Brennan in the extended three miles and a furlong Listed Lombard Properties Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham on Saturday, November 17, adding to successes in valuable prizes at Chepstow in October and Newton Abbot in September.

County Tipperary-based Hogan is keen to strike again with his game nine-year-old while the iron is still hot, so long as conditions are favourable.

The Irish handler continued: 'It depends on what the ground is like and what is above him in the handicap, but if it is good to soft as predicted at Haydock, then we could live with that.

'We will just see what is likely to run before making a decision and I would not be running him with a high weight.

'He started off this year off 108 in Ireland and he has won five races since March. He won off 137 at Cheltenham, so as a nine-year-old I think it is unlikely that he would improve much more. We have to be realistic, but there might be one more nice prize in him.

'He would not be able to carry 11st 7lb in conditions hurdles - or 11st 10lb as it would be in Ireland. He is a small horse, scarcely 15.3hh, and you need more than heart to carry weight. He has all the heart but he just needs a bit more than that - he is not able to carry big weights and he is too small to jump a fence, so things get quite limited from here on in.

'I think Paddy (Brennan) is very fond of him so I'm sure he would want to ride him again. He is a genuine horse but Paddy has definitely got the key to him.'

Other entries in the Betfair Fixed Brush Handicap Hurdle include last season's winner Halcon Genelardais who subsequently won the Coral Welsh National for trainer Alan King, Grade Two Spa Novices' Hurdle winner Wichita Lineman, trained by Jonjo O'Neill, and fellow Cheltenham Festival hero Oscar Park, who took the Coral Cup for trainer David Arbuthnot.

The Francois Doumen-trained course and distance winner Millenium Royal could mount a strong French challenge, while Paul Nicholls has entered Betfair Chase possible Taranis, winner of the Grade One James Nicholson Wine Merchant Champion Chase at Down Royal on November 3.

Saturday's exciting six-race card at Haydock Park also features an exciting renewal of the £200,000 Grade One Betfair Chase (2.05pm) over three miles, which is race 11 in the Order Of Merit.

Former Irish champion jockey turned trainer, Charlie Swan, is eyeing the valuable prize with last season's high-class novice Offshore Account, who capped a four-race winning streak with victory in the Grade One Ellier Developments Hanover Quay Champion Novice Chase at Punchestown in April.

Swan revealed today: 'Offshore Account is entered in the Betfair Chase and the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup, so we will have a look at both races and he could go to Haydock. He is probably better in at the Hennessy but he has not had a run this season so we are just looking forward to getting a run into him before the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas.

'I was very happy with his progress last season. He improved after every chase and his jumping is his forte. He is a half-brother to The Listener and Fork Lightning so it is a good jumping pedigree. He is in great form, I just hope that I have him fit enough to do himself justice.

'Offshore Account has won on bottomless ground and good to firm. I would not want it too quick but I doubt that will be an issue with the rain we have just had.'

Swan could also run the lightly-raced 10-year-old Mister Month in the £50,000 Betting As It Should Be Handicap Chase (2.35pm) over three miles, while Boulavogue and Valain are engaged in the £40,000 Reg Griffin 50 Years At Timeform Handicap Hurdle (1.05pm) over two miles for four-year-olds.

The County Tipperary trainer continued: 'Mister Month is in the Betting As It Should Be Handicap Chase and Valain and Boulavogue are in the Reg Griffin 50 Years At Timeform Handicap Hurdle.

'I will probably run one in the handicap hurdle depending on the weights. Boulavogue is possibly the one at this stage but we will see.

'Mister Month won his maiden hurdle this season and followed up with his first chase win in a handicap the time after. He has been injured and was out for a couple of years but is in good order now.

'He has won on heavy and wouldn't mind if it came up soft, but I would prefer if it was not too heavy and good to soft would be fine.'

Offshore Account is likely to meet Kauto Star, the reigning champion steeplechaser and last season's Betfair Chase hero, who is set to lock horns with his old rival Exotic Dancer and the Alan King-trained Grade One Arkle Chase victor My Way De Solzen in what promises to be a real clash of the titans.

Other entries for the prestigious contest include Irish raider Beef Or Salmon, second in the Betfair Chase in both 2005 and 2006, the Ferdy Murphy-trained Aces Four, Ollie Magern who bounced back to form with victory in the Grade Two Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby on November 3, last season's star three-mile novice chaser Denman and his Nicholls-trained stablemate Taranis.

The Betfair Chase is the first leg of the Betfair Million, which is generously awarded by Betfair to the connections of any horse who wins the Betfair Chase and adds either the King George VI Chase at Kempton or the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown, as well as the totesport Gold Cup at Cheltenham in March.

Kauto Star rewarded owner Clive Smith and trainer Paul Nicholls, along with the handler's team at Ditcheat, when he became the first Betfair Million winner thanks to his brilliant triumphs in the Betfair Chase, King George VI Chase and totesport Gold Cup.

The inaugural running of the early season highlight in 2005 went to the Robert Alner-trained Kingscliff, who denied Beef Or Salmon, with that year's totesport Gold Cup hero Kicking King in third.

Betfair spokesman Tony Calvin said: 'The 14 entries for the Betfair Chase include the first four home from last season's Cheltenham Gold Cup and six of the first seven in our betting for the 2008 renewal, which underlines just how quickly the race has become the early season focal point for the top stayers.

'So, clearly, Kauto Star has a tough task if he going to land the first leg of the Betfair Million bonus he won for connections last season. But we saw just how talented a horse he is in the last campaign, and nothing is beyond him, so little wonder that the Betfair layers aren't prepared to offer more than 5-4 about him winning on Saturday.'

To win the Betfair Chase - Betfair bet: 5-4 Kauto Star, 3-1 My Way De Solzen, 9-1 Exotic Dancer, Aces Four, 20-1 Denman, Turpin Green, 39-1 Beef Or Salmon, 41- Ollie Magern, Monkerhostin, 49-1 Taranis. 64-1 Madison Du Berlais, 69-1 Offshore Account, 99-1 Yes Sir, Too Forward

HAYDOCK GOING

The going at Haydock Park is currently:

GOOD TO SOFT, GOOD IN PLACES

Kirkland Tellwright, Clerk of the Course at Haydock Park, said today: 'The ground is just about perfect and is currently good to soft, good in places.

'We are forecast showers every day this week and at this stage I would say that good to soft ground is likely for Saturday's card.'