Malcom looked to have the Gd1 Prix Cambacérès - Grande Course de Haies des 3 Ans in its pocket when falling at the last at Auteuil on Nov 3. Its unfortunate departure left Royaleety to win from Nickname, Ladykish and Sphinx Du Berlais. Royaleety may have been fortunate to win but was still a decent winner of this major juvenile race. Its time in winning on May 5, as very young 3yo, would have seen it figure prominently against last season's juveniles (4yo's). In the UK, Nas Na Riogh revelled in the mud at Chepstow to record a decent time, thanks to the pacemaking Lewis Island. When winning the Finale Hurdle, Chepstow, Dec 27. She had nothing more than a stroll at the Park, when winning in a canter against modest opposition at Fontwell, Mar 2. Her record suggests that testing going is necessary for her to be at her best.

Red Wine not given a hard race when failing to shine on its debut at Leicester, Feb 12, beat a field of useful rivals including its Leicester conqueror Visibility when having more use made of it at Newbury, Feb 28. In an open year Jamie Osborne's representative would have as good a chance as any in the Triumph.

The same could be said of Martin Pipe's Penny Pictures who outgalloped a modest field in the mud to win at Bangor, Mar 5. This one's useful flat record suggested that faster ground was more to its liking. It could have plenty of improvement to come when getting such a surface.

The Gd2 Adonis hurdle at Kempton, Feb 22, was a farce a trend that is becoming more regularly under both codes of racing. Nobody wanted to make this a true test and they crawled round. Tony McCoy on Well Chief 117, grabbed the initiative when leading 3 out coming home an easy winner. Saintsaire in fifth appeared to be the main sufferer of the slow gallop. Interestingly the fourth East Tycoon 100, has managed to get a very high flat rating by performing well in a series of slowly run contests in Ireland, which suggests it has a turn of foot. The race was run to suit but it received a lacklustre ride here, giving the impression of being outpaced when the race quickened. There was plenty in the tank at the finish. My rating for it is low because of the fact that it has contested slowly run races. This is a "Dark Horse".

Another decent M Pipe trained juvenile is the filly Bongo Fury. Her second in a strongly run novices handicap hurdle at Cheltenham would give her a fair chance of making the frame in an average Triumph, assuming she is continuing to develop. She got beat, never settled, in a slowly run race behind Mistanoora 118 at Sandown Feb 1, the going was heavy which would have counted against her. The winner is an improving sort that seems best suited by testing conditions. Bongo Fury notched up another victory at Sandown (having won here also on Dec 12) when making all to win unchallenged on Feb 14. The time was not great, at least she is in good heart. At Wincanton, Mar 6, she attempted to make all the running against better opposition and was beaten before the straight. The decent time suggested that she may have gone too fast for her own good. Next season when ridden with more restraint on good ground she could well pop up in a decent handicap. On the other hand, if she continues to race this season after that poor Wincanton effort, the implication has to be that the stable do not think that she will progress.

The Gd2 Juvenile at Cheltenham (soft), Jan 25 was won in a moderate time by Moneytrain 98 from Don Fernando and Saintsaire. Signals from the Pipe and Henderson camps still suggest that these are their best contenders for the big one. Don Fernando would almost certainly prefer faster ground.

Kenilworth placed in moderately run Graded Juveniles notched up an easy win in a strongly run 4yo contest at Punchestown Feb 1. It is definitely improving and stays well. The following week Kenilworth could only manage third behind Mutineer and Golden Cross in the Gd2 Cashmans Bookmakers Spring Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown Feb 9. Golden Cross had no trouble in winning a moderately run Gd3 at Fairyhouse Feb 22.

Bal de Nuit was always going nicely when winning at Kempton, Jan 18. It had run well at Longchamp (gd) early last flat season and also chased home Jameson du Berlais in a 3yo chase at Enghien before joining the Nicholls yard. It can improve on this. It was a length down to older rival Atum Re when falling two out in a novice at Wincanton, Feb 15. The result would have been close either way. This performance did not suggest that it had made much improvement on its debut run.

Desert Air made all to win a novice at Taunton, it is improving but would have a long way to go to win the Triumph