Imperial Aura headlines Kempton card

PA Sport Reporters
January 4, 2021 2:15 pm

Cheltenham Festival winner one of 11 entered in Silviniaco Conti Chase.

Cheltenham Festival hero Imperial Aura is the star name among 11 entries for the Unibet Silviniaco Conti Chase at Kempton on Saturday.

Kim Bailey’s charge won the now defunct novices’ handicap chase at Prestbury Park in March and has continued in the same vein this term – winning the Colin Parker Memorial Chase at Carlisle before impressing in the Grade Two 1965 Chase at Ascot.

The eight-year-old disputes ante-post favouritism with last year’s winner Min for the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham, and will be well fancied to enhance his claims in this weekend’s two-and-a-half-mile Grade Two contest.

Nicky Henderson has entered 2019 winner Top Notch, as well as Mengli Khan and Mister Fisher, who won the rescheduled Peterborough Chase at Cheltenham on his latest appearance.

Paul Nicholls saddled Frodon to win 12 months ago and could this year be represented by Master Tommytucker.

Other hopefuls include the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Riders Onthe Storm, Ann Hamilton’s stable star Nuts Well and Tom George’s Peterborough Chase third Clondaw Castle.

Nine horses are in contention for the Dornan Engineering Relkeel Hurdle, which was saved and switched from the abandoned New Year’s Day fixture at Cheltenham.

George’s Summerville Boy could bid for back-to-back victories in the race, Bailey has entered Long Walk Hurdle fourth Younevercall, Nicholls could run McFabulous and Thomas Darby may represent Olly Murphy.

Paul Webber’s Cheltenham Festival winner Indefatigable also features.

The Unibet Lanzarote Hurdle is a race with plenty of history. An entry of 31 includes four Henderson inmates in Call Me Lord, Champagne Platinum, Glynn and The Cashel Man, while Nicholls has an interesting pair in Solo and Amour De Nuit.