A fair bit of racing news today, and it looks like Oh Crick, who was the winner at both the Aintree and Cheltenham festivals last season, is scheduled to return to action at the William Hill Haldon Gold Cup on Tuesday.

It was on improving his form that he managed to land the Grand Annual Chase, and consequently, the Red Rum Handicap Chase.

Though he gained a total of eighteen pounds following those wins, I’ve heard that his trainer Alan King expects further improvement by next summer.

He states that though it would be tougher on Oh Crick this season, he has no complaints on the handicapper putting him up in weight. Moreover, he states that though Oh Crick is still small, and that he has confidence in him coping with the additional weight.

In other racing news, it seems that Kauto Star is waiting for the Betfair Chase at Haydock on November 21 for a reappearance.

While Paul Nicholls actually planned on returning to Northern Ireland, it was the owner Clive Smith who won Nicholls over by getting him to wait for Haydock. He claims that as the horse is fine and in great shape, Haydock is definitely on the agenda.

And I have it on good authority that whenever Kauto Star returns, whether it is at Haydock or not,  he will definitely be heading to Kempton on Boxing Day to try for a fourth straight King George VI Chase. I aim to be there to join him, all being well.