THE weather wasn’t great at Haydock last Saturday but the racing certainly made up for it, with the star attraction Kauto Star winning the feature race, the Betfair Chase.

The dual Gold Cup winner had to dig deep to hold off the gallant runner-up Imperial Commander, and there was only a whisker in it at the end, in favour of the champion.

The next day, Aintree, home of the Grand National, staged a really decent card, with two races over the famous National fences. The opening maiden hurdle was won in good style by Sitting Tennant, who is now trained by Howard Johnson after being bought out of the Kate Walton yard after winning a bumper at this track on Grand National day.

The six-year-old was given a positive ride by Dennis O’Regan and, although he picked up a slight injury during the race, he should be able to go on to better things.

Walton might not train Sitting Tennant anymore, but the shrewd Middleham handler has her horses in fine form at present and was also on the mark on Sunday with Still At Lunch, north of the border at Musselburgh. Still At Lunch has now won three from his last four races and benefited from a fine ride by the trainer’s son-in-law Richie McGrath.

Staying at Musselburgh and the high class hurdler Tazbar made the perfect start to his chasing career. Trained at Saltburn by Keith Reveley and ridden by his son James, Tazbar jumped very well throughout and should go on to better things later in the term.

Sedgefield staged a six-race card on Tuesday and Ferdy Murphy and his son Paul were both on the scoresheet. Ferdy got the ball rolling with April San in the beginners chase, before Paul had his turn in the winners enclosure with Opus Café, who came home in fine style in the staying handicap chase.

The following day down the A1, Wetherby opened their gates for a seven-race card and there were plenty of local winners. The in-form Johnson enjoyed a double and, in doing so, gave young jockey Gary Derwin a day he won’t forget.

Derwin partnered his first ever winner when steering Laborec to victory in the opening claimer, before Dennis O’Regan brought Passport Control home alone in the beginners chase after his two rivals crashed out three from home.

Mickey Hammond saddled Dawn Ride to win the staying handicap chase. The eight year-old was gaining compensation after unseating his rider in a valuable contest last time out. The easiest winner of the day was Bocamix, who came home with 14 lengths to spare in the juvenile hurdle.

Nearly every Saturday is an important one at this time of year in the jumping calendar, and tomorrow is no exception with two big races, one in the north and one in the south. The Fighting Fifth Hurdle is the highlight tomorrow at Newcastle’s seven race card and a confident selection in this contest is Binocular.

Trained by Nicky Henderson, the five-year-old has not been seen since finishing third in last season’s Champion Hurdle. His regular rider A P McCoy holds him in the highest regard and can take this on route to a profitable term.

Down at Newbury, the prestigious Hennessey Gold Cup takes centre stage at 2.40pm, and Johnson has a good chance of lifting another big price with Killyglen, who rounded off a cracking novice season by winning at the Aintree Festival and made a satisfactory start to this year’s campaign by finishing second to a useful sort at Carlisle.

Champion jockey McCoy was on board that day due to Johnson’s stable jockey Dennis O’Regan nursing a broken collarbone, but with O’Regan now back to full fitness, the seven-year-old looks to hold solid claims with only 10st 6lbs on his back.