Junior is bound for the Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase at Wetherby on Boxing Day following his victory at Newcastle on Saturday.

The David Pipe-trained nine-year-old defied top weight of 11st 12lb in testing conditions by making all the running in the Rehearsal Chase over three miles.

"He put in another great run. I don't know if he was fully tuned up for that day, but he's jumped as well as we've seen him jump before. He looks back to his best," Nick Bradley, bloodstock manager for owners Middleham Park Racing, told At The Races.

"Things went wrong for him in the Grand National, so we put a line through that run.

"Up at Ayr he made a noise. Tom Scudamore said he needed a wind op and that's what he's had.

"He might run at Wetherby on Boxing Day in the Rowland Meyrick. There is nothing before then and that is on the agenda at the moment.

"The National is possibly a target again, but we'll take it race by race. How he runs in the Rowland Meyrick will dictate where we go next, but I wouldn't rule Aintree out.

"The going at Newcastle wasn't ideal, but he put in a career best on a level with his Kim Muir run. He would be a better horse on good ground.

"All his previous runs, we have been looking for good ground, but we had to run at Newcastle because of the nature of the race. There were two horses in the handicap, the rest of them were out of the handicap. It was a Listed race, so we had to run."

18 June 2013

Stevens is king of the Castle
O'Neill ace proves too sharp
Ballydoyle in command in Coventry
Dawn delivers in thriller
Sole powers to sprint glory
Al Thani snaps up Sandiva
O'Brien sounds War cry
Minute's silence remembers Cecil
Duntle on Cambridge duty
Alive and Just in Ribblesdale mix
Passage heads Gold field
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Dawn out for Palace redemption
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De Kock hoping to make history
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Kingdom set to reign over Ascot

17 June 2013

Magician set for Palace showdown
Cat clings on for Carroll
Three more winners for Lady Cecil
Monaghan delivers on Midnight
Treve in stunning Diane win
Sapphire target for Trees
Beckett mulls Secret options
Nicholls has broken wrist

16 June 2013

Songbird aiming to fly high
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Fahey juveniles primed for action
Stubbs leads O'Brien Coventry team
Salsify on summer break
Kempton target for Benbulben
Top trio head Palace runners
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Animal heads Queen Anne field
Saint-Cloud aim for Dunaden
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Soul all heart in York sprint
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Sam too sharp for rivals
Hughes makes it pay with Knight
Balding on mark with double
Morawij in a hurry in Scurry
Bartley is queen for a day
Big guns to clash in Coronation

15 June 2013

Marengo set for battle royal
Saddler's ready to rock - Oxx
Soprano primed to hit right notes
Balding receives OBE
Victory on a plate for Montaser
Magician run in the balance
Secret set to make Ascot stand
Probert return delayed
Nagle covers Maarek options
Ribblesdale chance for Lark
Walker hoping Guns will fire
Estimate in Royal Gold run