Talking Horses: Alphonse Le Grande hoping to buck the trend in Cesarewitch

Jumping yards in general, and Irish jumps stables in particular, have enjoyed a virtual monopoly in the Cesarewitch Handicap in recent seasons with nine wins in the past 11 runnings. Willie Mullins, Gordon Elliott, Charles Byrnes and Tony Martin all have leading candidates for the latest renewal of the historic stayers’ handicap at Newmarket on Saturday.

Martin, who was serving a ban for a doping offence 12 months ago, is back on the licence as the trainer of last year’s winner, Alphonse Le Grande, who edged home by a nose, lost the race a few days later due for a whip offence by his jockey, and then got it back on appeal.

He would create another piece of Cesarewitch history if he could become the first horse to win twice for different trainers, but he is 4lb higher in the weights and there has been just one dual winner in the race’s 186-year history.

Mullins, who won three times in a row from 2018, has three live candidates headed by the lightly raced Bunting, but he is not obviously well handicapped off 95 and there is better each-way value elsewhere.

Elliott, by contrast, is still waiting for a Cesarewitch winner but he has decent contenders in Ndaawi and Mordor (3.40) and the latter looks overpriced at around 20-1.

The five-year-old ran well to finish eighth in the Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham off 130 and an excellent second at Glorious Goodwood in August suggests he has a big run in him on Saturday off his Flat mark of 88.

Newmarket 1.15: Lightly raced Gladius is two-from-three at this unusual trip and ran well on his Group-race debut at York last time.

York 1.30: Division has progressed by the race since his debut in late August and looks more than ready for the step into Listed company.

Newmarket 1.50: There is plenty of stamina on the dam’s side of Allegresse’s pedigree and this marathon test by juvenile standards could see further improvement.

York 2.05: The draw did for Erzindjan in the Cambridgeshire last time but he was clear of the next horse home on his side and is just 1lb higher here.

Newmarket 2.25: Pathein’s defeat of the promising Lyneham on debut was franked by the runner-up’s victory next time and Ed Dunlop’s colt looks overpriced at around 12-1.

Newmarket 3.00: Zavateri and Gstaad top the ratings for the Dewhurst Stakes and are closely matched on their form when first and second in the National Stakes, but the progressive Distant Storm posted a very strong time when nearly five lengths clear of his field in a Group Three last month and could prove more than a match for them.

York 3.15: Binhareer suffered early interference last time but still finished within four lengths of the winner, has been dropped 1lb since and has a useful low draw.