Alan King maps out targets with big guns ready to fire
THE scene is set for Sceau Royal to have a season to remember for Alan King.
With Altior stepping up in trip, it leaves King's stable star one of the strongest in the two mile division after his Champion Chase third.
Ground looks important to the seven-year-old, but King hasn't ruled out stepping him in trip as the season rolls on.
The Wiltshire-based trainer said: "At the last, he looked for a second that he had Altior in trouble in the Champion Chase – then ran a marvellous race behind him again at Sandown at the end of the year.
"His only disappointing run was in the Tingle Creek, but the ground was way too heavy for him.
"We will go to the Shloer again, then we will take it from there. There would be a possibility that we could look at the Peterborough, because I would like to try two and a half at some stage.
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"That might be a hot race, with the bonus that they have put in, but you have also got the Desert Orchid at Kempton."
King also has improving chaser Talkischeap aimed at the big pots this season after his emphatic Bet365 Gold Cup triumph at the season closer last spring and the Grand National is his long-term goal.
King continued: "He's been thumped for his Sandown win by the handicapper. I suppose the Ladbrokes Trophy would be a target for him.
"We could give him a run over hurdles before that, or take him away and work him and go straight there, but the chances are we will try to get a run into him.
"Long term, the owner is keen to go to Aintree, so we will work backwards from there. I do think he is slightly ground dependent – he is a much better horse on decent ground."
Of the younger horses ready to challenge the order at the yard, The Glancing Queen is already snapping at the heels after her impressive Aintree win.
King said of her: "She was very good at Aintree, and we don’t get ones like her too often.
"She had a little bit of a blip, with a hold-up with her knee, but I’d hope we have her back out before Christmas.
"We took the boys on a couple of times last year, but I would have thought she would start back against mares.
"I don’t think I’d be afraid to start her at two miles, although she would get two and a half. She is not slow, by any means."
She's good - Champion Bumper fifth The Glancing Queen proves too strong in the finale for Wayne Hutchinson and Alan King @AintreeRacecourse pic.twitter.com/7qEdABszOU
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) April 4, 2019Alsa Mix and Sheshoon Sonny are another pair who could help improve on last year's returns.
The first is set to go novice chasing while Sheshoon Sonny was a horse on the up and will enter the reckoning for some big novice hurdles this winter if all goes to plan. Get them in your tracker!
For now Sceau Royal continues to lead the troops, but with plenty of exciting youngsters coming through King has plenty to look forward to.
Bizarre moment a horse smashes through the rails at Yarmouth racecourse and charges around people's gardensncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTErKynZpOke7a3jqynqKqkZLWwvtKeqZqbmaO0cH2PanBwa2FqfKK4wKdkpKGenHq0r8SarGaqn66urXnSrZibpJViv7a6zZ6prGc%3D