Taylor Expecting Bold Show From Montgermont

Lingfield hosts a cracking day of jumping action this Saturday, February 18, with the £100,000 Grade One Ascot totesport Chase (1.25pm), run over two and a half miles, the highlight of a superb fixture, staged at the Surrey course for the second successive year whilst regular home Ascot undergoes redevelopment.

The eight-race card also features the £40,000 Grade One Levy Board Game Spirit Chase (3.00pm) over two miles, rescheduled from Newbury after last Saturday´s fixture at that course was lost to the weather, and the opening £35,000 Grade Two totepool Reynoldstown Novices´ Chase (12.55pm), in which Berkshire trainer Lavinia Taylor is looking forward to running her exciting young chaser Montgermont.

The six-year-old, who could meet the likes of The Listener and Crozan in the three-mile contest, made a hugely promising debut over fences when chasing home Iris´s Gift over two and a half miles at Bangor last October, and followed a couple of decent placed efforts with an impressive victory over subsequent winner Reveillez in a two and a half mile beginners´ chase at Exeter on his latest appearance on January 2.

The trainer revealed: 'Montgermont is definitely on target for the totepool Reynoldstown Chase. He missed a race at Newbury last weekend due to the abandonment, and Saturday is a much hotter contest, but he needs to run and is ready to go, and he´s the type of horse that when he´s ready to run you don´t want to mess him about. He´ll get an entry at Exeter next Tuesday in case there´s a problem but Saturday is the plan.

'At Stratford (where he finished second having been ridden prominently) I would have ridden him differently - let´s put it that way - and we got the tactics wrong at Newbury where he was third to Taranis. In fairness to Andrew Thornton (who rode him in his first three chases), he told us that he needs to be ridden differently, so we changed things and held the horse up last time, and he promptly won very well for Mark Bradburne.

'The race on Saturday will be a step up in trip but I thinks he´s going to be a much better horse over three miles - in fact I´ll be very surprised if he isn´t. He hasn´t got a turn of foot but is a relentless galloper when he gets going. In truth I´d rather not be taking on the likes of The Listener just yet, but everyone is anxious to get a run into their horses before Cheltenham, so it´s unavoidable.'

Looking to the future, Taylor continued: 'He´s purposely not in at The Festival, as he´s a buzzy, nervous horse who has had problems with his jumping, and I think Cheltenham might be too much for him at this stage. I knew if I entered him I would be tempted to run him when I´m certain the right thing is not to. He could go to Aintree or Ayr but we´ll just have to see.

'It´s all systems go for Saturday and I´m confident he´ll run well, although I think he´s next year´s horse - he´s only six and is still unfurnished - and I believe the best won´t be seen of him until he´s a bit older and stronger. Mark Bradburne will be on board again.'

Lingfield´s Clerk of the Course, Neil Mackenzie Ross reported today: 'After overnight rain, the going on the chase course is currently soft, heavy in places, and heavy on the hurdles course.

'Brighter spells are forecast for later in the week.'

Monkerhostin, currently vying for favouritism in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup betting, could reappear in the Ascot totesport Chase. Philip Hobbs´ nine-year-old has not been seen since posting a career-best effort when second to Kicking King in the King George VI Chase at Sandown on Boxing Day.

Opponents could include Our Vic, who landed the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham at the expense of Monkerhostin back in November, but who disappointed at the same track the following month when pulled up in the Robin Cook Memorial Gold Cup, while Fondmort and 2005 victor It Takes Time may also line up.

The Paul Nicholls-trained Kauto Star, current favourite for the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, looks to bolster his burgeoning reputation in the Levy Board Game Spirit Chase, where he could meet a maximum of eight rivals, including fellow Festival hopefuls Fundamentalist and Mister McGoldrick.