WARREN Greatrex has his string in good order and won the Grade 2 bet365 December Novices’ Chase at Doncaster last Saturday with 5/2 shot Keeper Hill.

They looked a classy quartet but Tom George’s Rocklander departed early. Bryony Frost then dictated on Paul Nicholls’ Braqueur D’or but Keeper Hill, warming to his task for Gavin Sheehan, went on two from home and readily drew eight lengths clear close home. He is going the right way and looks the right sort for the RSA Chase.

Nicky Henderson fires in winners on days like these. His Countister was an easy, odds-on scorer in the bet365 Novices’ Hurdle and We Have A Dream pulled 10 lengths clear of City Dreamer in the Grade 2 bet365 Summit Juvenile Hurdle in the hands of Daryl Jacob.

It would be hard to exaggerate how comfortably We Have A Dream won and thoughts turned immediately to the Triumph Hurdle. However, stable-companion Apple’s Shakira heads the market there and they may be kept apart.

Lynch on the double

ANDREW Lynch enjoyed a successful afternoon at Musselburgh on Monday. An armchair ride on Jim Dreaper’s 11/10 favourite Mullaghmurphy Blue in the novices’ limited handicap chase was followed by much harder work on Rancher Lass for Skerries handler Karl Thornton.

The mare, sent off at 9/1, led two out in the three-mile handicap chase but had to be driven right out to hold Havana Jack by half a length.