PHILIP HOBBS is happy to let Planet Of Sound take on Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Imperial Commander in the Betfair Chase at Haydock Park tomorrow.
But he doesn’t expect his eight-year-old to upset the odds and claim victory.
Like the favourite Planet Of Sound will be making his seasonal reappearance after being entered among the final line-up of seven in the Grade One feature at the Merseyside venue.
Hobbs’s rising star landed the Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup on his last outing in April, and is ready to start on the road to what the Minehead trainer hopes will end in a tilt at the Cheltenham Gold Cup, for which he is a best-priced 33-1 with William Hill, Stan James and Victor Chandler.
Hobbs said: “Everything has gone very smoothly, we’ve had no hiccups and we’re very much looking forward to running him.
“We have Imperial Commander and the others to worry about and at the end of the day it’s a very hot race. I hope he can run with credit. I’m not expecting him to win but if he did, it would be fantastic.”
Planet of Sound is 8-1 with Coral behind the general 8-11 favourite Imperial Commander.
The Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained nine-year-old was just lost by the narrowest of margins by Kauto Star in last year’s Betfair Chase. And he is a warm order to go one better this time.
His chief rival is another Paul Nicholls-trained chaser in What A Friend.
A winner of the totesport Bowl at Aintree when Imperial Commander unseated Paddy Brennan, the Sir Alex Ferguson co-owned seven-year-old is a 10-3 chance with Coral, Victor Chandler and Sportingbet.
Others in the line up include recent Charlie Hall Chase winner Nacarat and the Jimmy Moffatt-trained Chief Dan George, a winner at the Cheltenham Festival last year.
Howard Johnson’s enigmatic Tidal Bay will bid for a first chase success in two years, while Atouchbetweenacara, trained by Venetia Williams, completes the line-up.
Earlier on tomorrow’s card Gary Moore expects Fruity O’Rooney to go very close in the Haydock’s 40% Better Off On Betfair SP “Fixed Brush” Handicap Hurdle.
The seven-year-old was impressive when starting his chase career with victory at Fontwell last month.
But he will be back over hurdles, as Moore eyes a trip to Lingfield next month.
But Moore is happy to go for the £75,000 contest on Merseyside tomorrow first.
He said: “I was very happy with him at Fontwell and I have half a plan for him to go to Lingfield for a good race on December 11.
“It would have been a long time between races and I didn’t really want to run him in another novice chase and pick up another penalty. He’s a pretty versatile horse and I don’t think it will matter to him going back over hurdles.
“He’ll love the soft ground and stays three miles well, so he had to take his chance really in what is a valuable race. I certainly hope he has a good each-way chance.”
A maximum field of 18 is set to go to post following the declaration stage with the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Ballyfitz topping the weights.
Haydock opens the Northwest Masters weekend with Aintree hosting Sunday’s Festive Family day.
There will the two races over the John Smith’s Grand National fences with the totesuper7 Grand Sefton Chase and the feature contest, the totesport.com Becher Chase.
Black Apalachi landed the Becher two years ago and his eyeing a return to Aintree for the John Smith’s Grand National.
The Dessie Hughes-trained 11-year-old was a gallant second in the Aintree marathon behind Don’t Push It and his campaign will be geared around going one better next April.
Owner Gerard Burke said: “He just went back into training last week after spending the summer with us. He looks stronger than he did last year and even though he is nearly 12, he acts like a two-year-old.
“We did a bit of roadwork with him but he obviously won’t be back for a while.
“I would say we will follow a similar plan to last season, with one or two hurdle races early next year followed by the Bobbyjo at Fairyhouse. Then hopefully we can come back for another try at Aintree.”
TODAY’S NAP: Pillar Of Hercules (2pm Musselburgh).
