Monday 22 December 2014 17:23, UK
Sue Smith is expecting another good performance from Vintage Star in the £40,000 William Hill Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase at Wetherby on Boxing Day.
Vintage Star was last seen out when rallying to take third behind Hey Big Spender in the Listed Rehearsal Chase over three miles at Newcastle on November 29.
The eight-year-old finished second to Shutthefrontdoor on his seasonal return when bidding for back-to-back victories in an extended three mile graduation chase at Carlisle on November 10.
Owned by Trevor Hemmings, Vintage Star recorded a number of good efforts last season including when second in the Grade Two Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock Park in January and sixth in the Welsh National at Chepstow.
Smith, who sent out Cloudy Too to land the spoils 12 months ago, reported: "All being well, Vintage Star will go to Wetherby on Boxing Day.
"He is in excellent order at the moment. He has run well in both his starts this year and obviously at Newcastle he had James Reveley on for the first time.
"Hopefully, Vintage Star should put in a good run around Wetherby as the race is right up his street.
"I am not 100 per cent sure about headgear for him. He has been going that well at home that I haven't contemplated it yet, but it's not an impossibility."
The Grade Three prize over three miles and a furlong is the highlight of Wetherby's two-day William Hill Yorkshire Winter Festival and has attracted 16 entries.
They are topped by Corrin Wood who won three of his four starts over fences last season and returned with a third in a Listed chase at Sandown Park in early December.
Cape Tribulation is set to make a third consecutive appearance in the race, having scored by 11 lengths in 2012 and been third last year.
Tim Easterby could run Scottish Grand National third Trustan Times, while Charlie Mann has entered seven-year-old Cedre Bleu, who was second in the Grand Sefton Handicap Chase over the Grand National fences at Aintree.
Other notables include Broadway Buffalo and Toby Lerone, who filled the first two places in last Saturday's Tommy Whittle Handicap Chase at Haydock Park.
The going at Wetherby is currently described as Good to Soft.
Jonjo Sanderson, Wetherby's Chief Executive and Clerk of the Course, commented: "We have had a dry and warm weekend, with some very strong winds, which has dried the ground marginally.
"The forecast for this week is for some rain forecast for Monday and Tuesday nights and a chance of a light frost on the morning of Boxing Day, but hopefully nothing too serious.
"We have today sold out of Premier Badges for Boxing Day, which everyone here at Wetherby is delighted about and we're looking forward to two exciting days of action for the William Hill Yorkshire Winter Festival."
