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Harry Fry insists he would not swap American for any other horse in the Ladbrokes Trophy after seeing his charge enjoy a racecourse gallop at Newbury on Tuesday morning.

The lightly-raced seven-year-old won each of his three starts over fences last season and rounded off his campaign with a dominant display at Uttoxeter in March.

He is 7-1 second-favourite with the race sponsors for Newbury's showpiece event on Saturday week and Fry expressed his delight after American and jockey Noel Fehily worked alongside stablemate Overtown Express, ridden by Niall Madden, at the Ladbrokes Winter Carnival official gallops morning.

Fry said: "That was ideal. We took him to Wincanton 10 days ago and he's come on nicely for that.

"He jumped the three down the back straight perfectly and strode on up the straight.

"There's 12 days to go now and it's all systems go."

With the fragile gelding having a well-publicised preference for soft ground, the Seaborough-based trainer is pleased to see rain is forecast.

Fry added: " If the forecast is correct, there's plenty of rain coming at the end of the week and at this time of year it doesn't dry up too much. With a bit of rain forecast, it should keep it on the slow side.

"I've put him in the Welsh National, only really as a back-up. He's a horse that doesn't run too regularly and he has got that entry (at Chepstow), but it's all about a week on Saturday.

"It's a huge race in its own right and I would not swap him for anything in the race, and neither would Noel."