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Trainer George Charlton is looking forward to seeing talented dual-code performer Knockara Beau make his seasonal return in the Grade Three £75,000 Betfair.com/paulnicholls “Fixed Brush” Handicap Hurdle on the second day of Haydock Park's Betfair Chase Festival on Saturday.
The eight-year-old was runner-up to leading Betfair Chase contender Diamond Harry in the Grade Two Altcar Novices' Chase at Haydock in January, 2010.
A productive novice chasing campaign also included a staying-on fourth in the Grade One RSA Chase at that year's Cheltenham Festival, when he finished half a length behind Long Run, the red-hot favourite for the Betfair Chase.
He returned to the smaller obstacles for the second half of last season and produced a string of excellent efforts, taking second in the Grade Two Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham in January and coming home fourth under top-weight in the Listed Pertemps Final at the same course in March.
Charlton revealed: “Knockara Beau is likely to run at Haydock on Saturday. He is very well at the moment and we are looking forward to getting his season underway.
“He had a muscle problem in his hind quarters at the start of last season which we think he picked up in the RSA Chase, when he had to take evasive action to get round a horse and twisted himself. He was just a little weaker on one side so we decided to take him back over hurdles.
“He had some very good form over hurdles last season, including his second in the Cleeve Hurdle. They ran a very fast time in the Pertemps Final and we were giving well over a stone to the first three home.
“I hope that the bit of rain that is forecast will turn up and that he might get to run in one of these decent handicap hurdles without being top-weight.
“We will just see how he gets on at Haydock before deciding whether to go back chasing or sticking to hurdles with him. The fixed brush hurdles are halfway between the two and should give us a good idea.
“If he goes well, then I hope that he can return to fences and we can aim him at something nice at Cheltenham in the spring.”
An entry of 39 for the three-mile £75,000 Betfair.com/paulnicholls “Fixed Brush” Handicap Hurdle also includes the Paul Nicholls-trained King Of The Night, who has posted a pair of impressive victories on his latest two starts, and last season's Pertemps Final victor Buena Vista, from the stable of David Pipe.
Jonjo O'Neill has entered last season's Welsh National hero Synchronised and Sunnyhillboy, who was third in the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse in April, while the Alan King-trained Trenchant and Cape Tribulation, representing Malcolm Jefferson, have both been successful in Grade Two company over hurdles.
Saturday's feature race is the £200,000 Grade One Betfair Chase (3.05pm), and this year's renewal of the three-mile chase looks set to be an outstanding contest with last season's Cheltenham Gold Cup victor Long Run set to take on 14-time Grade One winner Kauto Star, who won the race in 2006, 2007 & 2009.
Weird Al and Time For Rupert, first and second in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby on October 29, are set to re-oppose each other, while Diamond Harry may make his first start since storming to success in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury last November.
Racing gets underway at 12.15pm with the two-mile £40,000 Betfair Hurdle (eight entries), which could feature Punchestown Grade One scorer Grandouet, and continues with the £35,000 Listen To Timeform Radio Handicap Hurdle (12.50pm, 24 entries) over two and a half miles.
The two-mile £7,000 Betfair Hairy Mo Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race (1.20pm, 21 entries) was won by subsequent dual Grade One-winning hurdler Peddlers Cross in 2009 and his trainer Donald McCain could this year be represented by easy Southwell winner Diocles.
The £25,000 timeform.betfair.com On Your Smartphone Handicap Chase (1.55pm, 22 entries) over three and a half miles and the three-mile £30,000 Betfair Multiples Handicap Chase (3.40pm, 20 entries) complete the action.
For the first time this year, the Betfair Chase Festival is run over two days and a six-race card on Friday, November 18, includes the £20,000 Betfair Graduation Chase (1.20pm, 12 entries), the £25,000 Junior Betfair Novices' Chase (1.55pm, 13 entries) over two miles and six furlongs and the £17,500 Listed timeform.betfair.com Novices' Hurdle (2.30pm, 13 entries), over two miles.