Timeform Notebook: Mountainous ready to peak

The focus of the week's action was Sandown's Tingle Creek meeting on Friday and Saturday and, although you surely don't need us to tell you good things about the likes of Sprinter Sacre and Captain Conan, we've still got one of particular we'll be following from the meeting. Able Deputy ran on the Friday, in a very competitive handicap hurdle for the grade, ultimately finishing a half-length second to Tanerko Emery. The pair had previously met in an even hotter race at Cheltenham's Open Meeting, though the feeling was that Able Deputy (fifth) would come on for the run and so it proved, with him making smooth headway to lead at the last before hitting that flight and ultimately being worn down late in the day. Whether he'd have won with a fluent jump is rather a moot point as Tanerko Emery ran out a smooth winner considering the troubled passage he'd had, but that doesn't alter the fact that Able Deputy himself looks to be progressive fast and surely has a handicap in him before long.

Our other two Notebook runners this week both won at Chepstow on Saturday. Firstly, there was Mountainous in the three-mile maiden chase. He'd matched his hurdles form on his chasing debut last time and bettered it with that experience behind him, jumping like an old hand for the most part and needing just shaken up to see off Maringo Bay having led on the bridle three out. Mountainous has had only eight starts overall under Rules (point winner) and remains very much unexposed should connections choose to go down the handicap route with him. Incidentally, the last three winners of the corresponding race have been Wichita Lineman, Synchronised and Teaforthree; it wouldn't be the greatest surprise were Mountainous emulate them by winning a good-quality race before the season is out.

In a handicap chase run just over two hours later, Triptico similarly showed himself a better chaser than he was a hurdler at the second time of asking. He was running in a handicap, which he won by four and a half lengths, though it's the relative strength of the form that marks him out as being of above-average interest. Four and a half lengths back in second was Noble Legend, who was seeking a five-timer, and just a further short head away was the well-handicapped Highway Code, with 18 lengths back to the fourth. Triptico has long been an interesting horse, largely for when facing a test of stamina as he's only once raced beyond two and a half miles yet appeals as one that will be ideally suited by three.

Runners debrief

Notebook entrant Yurok emerged as an 11/2 winner on his second start over fences, bettering anything he'd done over hurdles in overcoming odds-on favourite Aland Islands over two and a half miles at Wetherby. Considering that it's probably staying trips that will see Yurok to very best effect, it looks as though he could be a smart chaser in the making and one well worth keeping on the right side of, certainly in novices. 

There are a couple of our Notebook horses entered up at the International Meeting this week. Highland Lodge is in a novice chase over an extended 25 furlongs on Saturday as well as the Grade 2 December Novices' Chase at Lingfield the same day. It's fair to say that both would likely present a fairly stiff task, for all his yard have shown the first shoots of recovery in the last week or so. 

Saint Roque would probably make a more attractive proposition were he to run in a three-mile handicap hurdle on the Friday. He's been left on the same mark as when being brought down at the Open Meeting and, although he's untried over staying trips, has plenty of stamina in his pedigree.

Elsewhere, we have Ballywatt entered at Hereford's farewell meeting on Sunday. He's been put up 4 lbs for his efforts at Newbury, but Drumshambo (who he finished just ahead of) has already done his bit for the form by winning a handicap and Ballywatt would surely have strong claims of following suit in what would almost certainly be a less competitive heat.