Catching Pigeons: Roc on

Vyta Du Roc can help secure the trainers' championship for Nicky Henderson with a big run in the bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase at Sandown on Saturday. 

The Seven Barrows trainer holds a very handy lead over Paul Nicholls in the race for the title, but every little helps as they say in that well known supermarket commercial, and Vyta Du Roc is very nicely handicapped on his best form. 

A very smart novice and the winner of the Reynoldstown at Ascot last season, he has not been at his best since finishing a very respectable sixth to Native River in the Hennessy Gold Cup in November. 

However, he has had a nice break since a below par effort at Kempton in February and seems the sort of horse who is at his best when fresh.

Call Me Lord can kick the afternoon off on the right note for Henderson on his British debut in the bet365 Juvenile Handicap Hurdle. 

The form of his two wins in France looks respectable enough and he has been working very nicely since his arrival at Seven Barrows. 

His ability to handle the quickish ground has to be taken on trust, but whatever happens here, he looks a very useful prospect for next season.

Neil Mulholland fields three leading players in the Gold Cup and looks to have even brighter prospects with Shantou Village in the bet 365 Josh Gifford Novices Handicap Chase. The seven year old has not been the most straightforward to train this season, but he has won three of his four starts and a recent win in a weak race at Fontwell will have helped to put him back on track. 

He will love the relatively quick ground and should prove up to conceding weight to the Henderson-trained Kilcrea Vale.

Fawaareq has been working very well and is expected to show he is going to be a force in the big heritage handicaps over seven furlongs and a mile this season in the  Best Odds Guaranteed At 188Bet Handicap at Haydock. 

Always held in high regard by both Barry Hills and his successor Owen Burrows, he did not take too long to find his feet last season, but had to call stumps after landing his third win in a row at Newmarket in July.

He still looks nicely handicapped and even though he will come on for this outing, the quality of his work suggests he will give a very good account of himself.

Luca Cumani has not been as quick as some to find his form this Spring, but Banksea's win at Newbury last weekend suggested things were on the up and El Vip looks sure to go close in the Champions League Betting At 188Bet Handicap .

He looked as though he was just in need of the race when third at Bath 15 days ago and should be a more potent threat here with those exertions behind him.

Henry Candy has booked Ryan Moore to partner Time To Exceed in the opening totescoop6 Play Today Handicap at Leicester, and she also looks to have a sound chance despite her eight month absence .

Like so many of the Kingstone Warren team, the four-year-old is expected to progress from last season, when she followed a good win with a respectable fourth in a much better class event than this on her final start. 

The Candy team are slowly coming to the boil, Vibrant Chords was very unlucky at the Craven meeting, and Rebecca Rocks is also expected to go close in the Eastside Magazine Maiden Stakes at Doncaster. 

She produced two respectable performances as a juvenile and looks to have found a good opportunity to make it third time lucky. 

Dane O'Neill, Candy's main jockey when available, travels from Leicester to Town Moor just for the one ride.

Dahik is just preferred to Clive Cox's newcomer Koditime in the Fine And Country Newcomers Maiden Stakes at Doncaster. 

The premier league trainers are keen to get on with a few of their early two-year- olds with Royal Ascot appearing on the horizon, but the dry weather has handicapped them, and all parts of the country could now do with some rain.

Dahik has been showing the in-form Varian team plenty of speed in his preparatory gallops and it will probably take a Royal Ascot class juvenile to lower his colours here.

Godolphin have a few live players at short prices around the Country , but are really looking forward to Ascot on Wednesday when Blue Point, one of their speediest juveniles last season, makes his reappearance in the Merriebelle Stable Pavilion Stakes. 

He is reported in great form, but will not have things his own way in what looks a fascinating trial for the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot. 

Mokarris has been impressing the Simon Crisford camp, and another to look out for is the Group Two Mill Reef Stakes winner Harry Angel, from the Clive Cox Stable.

The Royal Blues are also planning to run unbeaten juvenile Golden Town in the Sodexo Conditions Stakes and it may surprise some to learn about his intended target at the Royal Meeting. 

Although he clearly has the speed to cope with the five furlong events, he may well take a step up to seven furlongs on the final day of the mid-June Fest and tackle the Chesham Stakes. 

We've been saying it for years now, but everything looks to have finally fallen into place for The New One to have his big day in the Bet365 Select Hurdle at Sandown. 

He jumped markedly out to his right at Aintree last time out, but wasn't disgraced in third and the return to a right-handed track should see him to better effect.

Noble Gift looks to be in with a cracking chance of a repeat success in the M.C.H. Hutchinson Memorial Handicap at Ripon.

He is now 2lb lower than when successful in this race 12 months ago and arrives here fit after a pipe-opener on the all-weather at Kempton. He can take this for a stable who have made a flying start to the new campaign.