Newmarket, October 13

MIDTERM strong in his winding-up gallop ahead of the Qipco Champion Stakes.

Sir Michael Stoute elected to side step the Arc at Chantilly with the Prix Niel winner, reasoning that a mile and a quarter is probably the colt's optimum distance.

The one-time Investec Derby favourite galloped out strongly and is clearly in good order, with further improvement anticipated from a horse with few miles on the clock.

QUEEN'S TRUST a stern test in the Qipco Fillies'

&

Mares' race and has worked with

éclat in her preparation for that Group One.

She is a strong traveller for whom the big field may prove an asset, with a strong pace likely to unfold.

She also took the eye in her midweek work - and that can also be said of

She will be at her most effective with plenty of give in the ground, and her turn may come in the final days of the season, possibly in Ireland on Sunday.

Stoute has some well-related juveniles ready to do battle, including NATHAN MAYER, goes to Haydock on Friday.

The Nathaniel colt has shown promise along with fellow Haydock runner DESERT DREAM, son of Oasis Dream.

West Country, Fr 14

GARDE LA VICTOIRE up the woodchip strip in his final breeze ahead if the Welsh Champion Hurdle at Ffos Las.

The UK's jumps racecourse has attracted a classy field for its marquee race that has been moved from its previous pitch much later in the season.

Garde La Victoire has always been regarded as a top chasing prospect but his confidence was dented by a couple of non completions in his novice season, latterly at Aintree's Grand National fixture.

Philip Hobbs has been delighted with his charge's demeanour and attitude since deciding to put him back over hurdles.

COPPER KAY DEFI DU SEUIL start at unbackable prices in their races at the same meeting.

Copper Kay breezed beautifully ahead of the maiden hurdle while Defi Du Seuil has schooled with aplomb.

DESERT RETREAT for a novice hurdle at Market Rasen and has worked enthusiastically ahead of that.

ACTION REPLAY his debut on that card and has shown promise.

DUKE DES CHAMPS do well in novice chases. He has schooled with efficiency but needs some cut in the ground for his first run back.

GENEROUS RANSOM the same criteria to meet before he returns in a handicap chase.

Newmarket, October 15

KINGS FETE in good order in some work ahead of the St Simon Stakes at Newbury.

Sir Michael Stoute took his workers to the Limekilns Round gallop and Kings Fete travelled up with

Convey led the work but when the tempo increased between the seven and the eight the former came under pressure, while Kings Fete was still hard on the steel.

ULYSSES a race in him before the end of the season and he looked in good order coming up the strip with

The former came back with a genuine excuse after being inched out of the Winter Hill Stakes at Windsor.

Before leaving for North America on Monday DARTMOUTH well in his winding up gallop for the Grade One Canadian International at Woodbine.

The Queen's runner broke a blood vessel at Newbury in the Arc Trial and will run on Lasix on Sunday.

However DIPLOMA been scratched from her race at the same meeting.

ARAB SPRING in Italy over the weekend and was another to please in his winding up gallop for that Group One.

MIRAGE DANCER a lot to live up to and this imposing son of Frankel has been working particularly well.

The same was true as he came up with two stablemates this morning.

Naunton, October 18

BALLYMALIN helped Nigel Twiston-Davies put down some early-season foundations and looks set to represent his trainer at Cheltenham on Saturday.

The six-year-old was hugely impressive at Perth and after taking to his work on the Fibresand strip at Guiting Power in manful fashion is set to run in a novices' hurdle at Prestbury Park at the weekend.

WHOLESTONE the odds in style on his latest start and looked ready for a jump up the class ladder as he twice traversed the steep Fibresand gallop.

That Warwick defeat of Bugsie Malone does not amount to much other than it was gained without the gelding having a hard race.

He should acquit himself well at Cheltenham, where he holds engagements on Friday and Saturday.

GOODBYE DANCER been kept busy through the summer and he looked lively in his spin ahead of the Pertemps-sponsored handicap hurdle on Saturday.

WOODFORT easy conditions to dot up in a Ffos Las bumper.

He could make a return to action at Cheltenham but connections are hoping for rain before the weekend.

COGRY some solid placed form in long-distance handicap chases from last season.

His work suggests he will not need the run if taking in the extended three-mile handicap chase on Saturday.

TEMPLEROSS another early-season winner that should have a say if turning out again at Cheltenham on Friday.

Newmarket, October 20

ULYSSES the Breeders' Cup as a possible end-of-season destination and the Niarchos family-owned colt worked on the Round Gallop ahead of that Santa Anita extravaganza.

The son of Classic winners Galileo and Light Shift came back from the Investec Derby with a genuine excuse.

He showed his true ability when landing the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood and scoped badly after getting inched out of the Winter Hill Stakes at Windsor.

Slightly unnerving for his connections is that he had the measure of POET'S WORD a gallop last week but when crossing swords with the same stablemate today, it was the latter who had the edge.

Sir Michael Stoute will run some well-regarded two-year-olds over the weekend, including

The son of Dubawi, owned by The Queen, breezed ahead of the divided maiden at Doncaster on Saturday.

He should get better ground than the soft conditions on which he was not given a hard time on his Salisbury debut.

MIRAGE DANCER alongside in the same blow-out.

The big, powerful son of Frankel is a lengthener rather than possessing a telling turn of foot if the evidence of home gallops are to be taken at first hand.

However, he has shown abundant promise and is expected to acquit himself well in the second division of that Doncaster maiden.

CRYSTAL OCEAN up the strip with KARAWAAN had the measure of that one by a length.

SABLE ISLAND in bridle work with El CAP some easy work on the Short Gallop.

ALYDAY, AFLAME RUSCOMBE have weekend engagements and looked in really good heart.

Midlands, October 21

DOUBLE ROSS to make up for lost time with a gritty comeback triumph at Chepstow to advertise the general well-being of Nigel Twiston-Davies' horses.

The 10-year-old hasn't quite risen to the heights expected of him in his novice days over fences but after running well for a long way in the Grand National, he showed with his latest effort that he could be in for a bountiful winter.

He looked in spirited form traversing his trainer's steep Fibresand strip ahead of a three-mile handicap chase over the Mildmay fences at Aintree on Sunday.

COGRY another handicap chaser who the stable should do well with in good staying prizes.

He was restricted to just four outings through last season but finds himself on a workable mark for targeting races such as the Welsh National.

He has been showing up well in his work with recent winners and is one to watch at Cheltenham tomorrow.

BALLYMALIN tidily at Perth and is the type who could progress to better things. He went clear of his lead horse working ahead of a novice hurdle engagement at Prestbury Park.

TINTERN THEATRE his debut at Aintree on Sunday and this five-year-old has scope for progression in maiden or novice hurdles.

GOODBYE DANCER solid form into the handicap hurdle arena and stays and jumps well.

Newmarket, October 22

Sir Michael Stoute put the spotlight on a first lot made up largely of two-year-olds this morning.

The ground went to the Limekilns Short Gallop where NATHAN MAYER through the fog to gallop out alongside

Nathan Mayer has done well since Haydock, but there were no questions asked in this exercise.

PILLAR CORAL the better of BULDAN this pair quickened the tempo between the six and the seven.

Pillar Coral was always travelling the better through the final quarter-mile of the work.

Ryan Moore was aboard VERITY, proved three lengths too good for two others, including the Ted Durcan-ridden

DELVE act on the softer ground in the final days of the season and she looked in good order stretching three and a half lengths clear of

Minehead, October 25

SAUSALITO SUNRISE up for a marquee weekend assignment with a pleasing spin on Philip Hobbs' compendium of all-weather gallops at Sandhill Stables.

The eight-year-old seems in tremendous form ahead of a seasonal comeback in either the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby or the Sodexo Gold Cup at Ascot.

Hobbs hopes his charge might have grown up ahead of a season that could entail a whole range of options.

MENORAH head for the Charlie Hall granted good ground on Saturday.

The veteran is raring to go, but once the ground eases he will be put away for a spring campaign.

He has shown plenty of gusto in this preparatory work.

After two quick races, WISHFULL DREAMING be given time to get over those exertions.

A version of his talented brother Wishfull Thinking, the five-year-old should keep paying his way in handicap hurdles through the winter and can be forgiven his rather lacklustre performance at Cheltenham.

OZZIE THE OSCAR worked in his customary lazy fashion but is worth monitoring if returning to the fray in a handicap hurdle at Wetherby.

ONEFITZALL best when fresh and the six-year-old has the option of a handicap hurdle at Wetherby.

Much will depend on whether there is cut in the ground at the Yorkshire venue.

STERNRUBIN his biggest payday when dead-heating in The Ladbroke at Ascot.

He is a lot higher in the handicap but also a lot more settled, and could return to Ascot on Saturday after pleasing in his winding-up gallop.

Lambourn, November 2

Nicky Henderson could take the wraps off a couple of interesting novice chasers this week, with DIFFERENT GRAVEY MIGHT BITE entered up.

Different Gravey has, for a number of reasons, not be allowed to fulfil his huge potential until now.

A staying novice over hurdles, he was sidelined by a hind leg injury until running right away with a handicap hurdle at Ascot.

The win made his future in that sphere impossible and he was not at his best in the Stayers' Hurdle at Aintree back in April.

Having schooled proficiently and worked with encouragement, he could run this week.

MIGHT BITE another who has somewhat limited his opportunities by winning a handicap hurdle with great ease.

He was a wide-margin winner at Kempton back in March after his chase debut last November had proved disappointing.

Now connections are reverting to the chasing plan and he's worked with great gusto in customary fashion.

CHRISTMAS IN APRIL impressive on his only bumper start and is engaged in a novice hurdle at the Newbury fixture this week.

The four-year-old has abundant potential and put in some good work on the Faringdon Road gallop the other day.

TRIOLO D'ALENE the big handicap chase at Ascot last week but is in the frame for a couple of headline events later in the month.

West Country, Tue December 6

VILLAGE VIC lively in his latest piece of faster work ahead of a bid to gain back-to-back successes in the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup at Cheltenham.

Philip Hobbs' game front runner went within a neck of leading throughout on his reappearance in the BetVictor Gold Cup over the same course and distance.

And although he looked to have a hard race, he has not shown any ill effects in his subsequent homework, as he showed when getting the better of an in-form stablemate on the steep woodchip facility at Sandhill.

DEFI DU SEUIL an exciting part of the Hobbs team and looked the real deal when scoring at The Open meeting.

He floated up the strip a couple of times ahead of a return to Cheltenham for Saturday's JCB Hurdle Trial.

The JP four-year-old could hardly be in better form.

ROCK THE KASBAH manage to build on his convincing Chepstow win behind O O at The Open fixture.

But he has worked with plenty of enthusiasm since, and could take on that rival again at the weekend.

FOR GOOD MEASURE an unlucky loser of a Pertemps Qualifier in October

He is pleasing in his preparation for a three mile handicap hurdle while WESTEND STORY shortly resurface to go down the novice hurdle route. He has an entry at Doncaster.

TEN SIXTY also head for the Town Moor for his seasonal return.