Handicappers' Corner: Class of 2012 graduates with flying colours

Saturday's renewal of the Betfair Chase at Haydock, in which Silviniaco Conti (Timeform rating c169+) lowered the colours of Long Run (c173), was just the latest big prize in recent weeks to have gone the way of a second-season chaser taking on their elders - following impressive wins by Al Ferof (c169p) in the Paddy Power Gold Cup, Cue Card (c169+) in the Haldon Gold Cup and For Non Stop (c163+) in the Old Roan Chase.

Silviniaco Conti, of course, had already tasted success in his sophomore year with a runaway victory in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby earlier in the month, but Saturday's performance represented a step-up on even that form, with the prospect of better still to come. Indeed, the gelding has now won four of his last six starts over fences (had a valid excuse for one of those defeats) and will be well worth his place in next March's Cheltenham Gold Cup, though it wouldn't be a surprise if a few more star pupils from last season's crop have emerged on the scene by then - notably Sir des Champs (c167p) and Bobs Worth (c165p), who've both yet to appear in 2012/13.

Now rising eight, it may be stretching things to describe Long Run as a "mature student", but he's certainly dipped below the stellar grades he achieved as a precocious talent back in 2010/11. As a result, his rating has been dropped to the figure he achieved when winning the Betfair Denman Chase at Newbury in February, which still leaves him just ahead of the class of 2012 but clearly vulnerable against those up-and-coming rivals, particularly as jockey Sam Waley-Cohen is unable to claim his 5 lb allowance in Grade 1 races.

The latter point could be deemed as a pointless argument as Waley-Cohen is a "known quantity" given that he always rides Long Run, whose connections are perfectly entitled to choose whoever they want on the gelding. However, there is a suspicion that Waley-Cohen, for all he's an extremely competent amateur, has been both out-ridden and out-thought by Ruby Walsh in the last two renewals of the Betfair Chase, plus in last year's King George VI Chase at Kempton. Saturday's race was a case in point, with Silviniaco Conti enjoying the run of things by dictating matters under a fine ride by Walsh, and Long Run still holds good claims of regaining his crown in the Boxing Day showpiece with that reappearance run behind him.

Conditions were pretty testing at Haydock, but rain of biblical proportions meant that the ground was even worse at Ascot on Saturday afternoon, so much so that it's probably best for now to excuse any horses who failed to live up to expectations there. Chief amongst these was another King George hopeful Finian's Rainbow (c174), who could manage only last of four in the Amlin 1965 Chase after getting very tired in the conditions, with lack of peak fitness rather than stamina issues probably to blame. Although clearly a disappointing display, the percentage call is that this hitherto consistent gelding will bounce back to form quickly.

Victory in the Grade 2 event went to 2011 King George third Captain Chris (c165), who jumped much better back on a right-handed track as he made the most of weight concessions from his rivals to beat For Non Stop (who neither travelled nor jumped with his usual fluency) and Ghizao (c162). More will be required if he's to go two places on Boxing Day this year, however.

Meanwhile, over at Gowran Park on the same afternoon, the main race was dominated by second-season chasers, when Hidden Cyclone (c157+) gave 4 lb and a four-and-a-quarter length beating to RSA Chase third Call The Police (c152) in pretty smooth fashion. Hidden Cyclone, whose only defeat over fences so far came at the hands of Sir des Champs, is clearly worth trying in Grade 1 company now, but he has a bit to find before he can be considered top of the class on Irish soil - Flemenstar (c166+) and Sir des Champs are currently challenging established star Sizing Europe (c172) for that title.

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