THE most-talked-about horse of the week is one that did not even run.

The reigning Champion Chaser Altior was an intended runner in Kempton’s Silviniaco Conti Chase on Saturday, and then he wasn’t, and then he might be, before he was eventually scratched, but not before betting movements and events which again called into question the close relationship between some leading trainers and bookmakers (in this case, Nicky Henderson and the race’s sponsor Unibet).

In the event, Henderson’s surprisingly well-backed Top Notch deputised but came up short against a rejuvenated Frodon, who himself was doing nothing that he had not done before.

Spectacular

The time merit of Frodon’s win was decent rather than spectacular, 18lbs quicker than 139-rated Erick Le Rouge overall, but worth 162 on account of sectionals. That is still good enough to make him the top time performer of the week in the accompanying table.

Frodon is likely to have to run better to repeat last year’s win in the Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival – for which the five-year winning average is 167 – but that is entirely possible back on a left-handed track (he jumped right here). The likelihood is that the Cheltenham Gold Cup trip will be too far.

Runner-up Keeper Hill ran a new personal best of 155, but Top Notch – who has not run to his very best in some time now – dropped away to record just a 152 figure.

Erick Le Rouge was not the only handicap winner at Kempton to run to 139 on time: Burrows Edge (in the Lanzarote) and Never Adapt did likewise over hurdles later on.

Fortunate

Burrows Edge looked fortunate, with 1.35 in-running Debestyman (126) and Notre Pari (136) falling independently at the last, though he was staying on strongly himself at the time.

Goa Lil ran to 124 in beating the penalised pair Lord Lamington (remains on 127) and Fraser Island (edges up to 126) and is rightly considered more as a Fred Winter than a Triumph type.

Saint Xavier was rated 150 over fences in France and could end up being similarly good over hurdles, but his novice win over one other finisher amounted to just 104 on overall time.

Gutsy win

Events at Warwick on the same day may have a small bearing on the Cheltenham Festival, with Two For Gold’s gutsy win in the Grade 2 novice chase worth a 144 timefigure which puts him into the reckoning for the National Hunt Chase at still further.

Mossy Fen also shaped very much like a stayer in coming again to win the Grade 2 two-mile, five-furlong novice hurdle from Décor Irlandais, though a 141 timefigure leaves him with more to find still for the Festival.

Kimberlite Candy looks a solid Grand National contender after a 148 time performance in winning the Classic Chase. One thing worth noting about this race is that more than half the runners in it in the last two years pulled up on their next starts, suggesting that it can take quite a toll.

Silver Sheen struck for Jessica Harrington in the Pertemps Qualifier, but it was a tactical and potentially unreliable affair, for which the overall timefigure is just 115.