Hurdler out to recapture old form

Rumours of Sir Talbot's death have been greatly exaggerated - yet again. He lines up in palpable health tomorrow in Ascot's Weatherbys Long Distance Hurdle.

This horse has already twice cheated death when fracturing his pelvis on two separate occasions. After he crashed out in the Cheltenham Festival's Stayers' Hurdle last month, trainer Jim Old was flooded with commiserations over his loss.

"We had letters of condolence. Richard Pitman was to blame - he said on the BBC that Sir Talbot was dead," Old said.

Jockey-of-the-season Jim Culloty takes over on Sir Talbot from Timmy Murphy, who has hit the deck three times on the horse.

It can prove the galvanising factor: riders in form are luck-magnets. Culloty has this term proved his intelligence in the saddle - taking his luck when it comes and creating it when it doesn't.

Apart from a brief scare when momentarily short of room approaching the second last, Culloty had Best Mate ideally placed throughout his winning Cheltenham Gold Cup performance.

In last Saturday's Grand National, his decision to switch Bindaree inside What's Up Boys at the Elbow was critical to their success.

Sir Talbot, in Old's words, "lacks selfpreservation".

Despite two life-threatening falls, he hasn't accepted the logical consequences of his lack of concentration when hurdling.

Instead of being switching off at the back of the field as at Cheltenham, dozy Sir Talbot needs reminding of the task in hand at every obstacle.

Now only the sixth jockey in history to win both the Gold Cup and Grand National in a season, Culloty's the man to do it.

His mount has his favoured fast ground and promised to stay three miles in the Rendlesham, falling at the second last when travelling with menace on the heels of Baracouda.

Of his rivals, Telemoss - who promised to finish better than fourth in the Stayers' until his stamina ran out - would have been a strong fancy but is likely to wait for Ayr next week.

Brother Joe ran a stinker at Aintree last Saturday, but this more galloping track could help. Spendid and Carlovent have strong place claims.

The Tote BetXress Silver Bowl Chase has Mr Baxter Basics' name on it.

His rider lost his reins on a slipping saddle in the Mildmay Of Flete, but this horse was in the process of reproducing his best Irish form until his stamina ran out on his previous start in Kempton's three-mile Racing Post Chase.

This testing 2m 3f is ideal and, despite being 3lb 'wrong' at the weights, he remains well treated.

With conditions too fast for stablemate Hescondido, Zafarabad likely to sulk when taken on for the lead by Get Real and Upgrade unreliable, Mr Percy is the best forecast option.

In the opening Royal Ascot Racing Club Handicap Hurdle, Romero can reverse form with Tucacas over a more suitable trip.

This course specialist showed signs of revival here nine days ago on even faster ground.

THE world's most valuable 'chase, the £400,000-plus Nakayama Grand Jump, takes place in Japan tomorrow. The British contingent consists of Banker Count, Cenkos and Exit Swinger.

The Paul Nicholls-trained Cenkos, who will be ridden by Timmy Murphy, finished third on his latest start in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.