Entries have been made for Wetherby's first racing of the new season, the Spinal Research Charity Raceday on Wednesday, October 15, which is being held for the 24th consecutive year.
One of the highlights of the seven-race programme is the £10,000 Bobby Renton Handicap Chase (4.00pm) over an extended two and a half miles. The 21 entries are headed by Firth Of The Clyde (Malcolm Jefferson) and Tahiti Pearl (Sue Smith), who were the first two home in a two-mile handicap chase at the West Yorkshire course in November.
Firth Of The Clyde subsequently captured a two and a quarter mile handicap chase at Market Rasen in January and was narrowly denied by half a length and a nose in a novices' handicap chase at Kelso the following month.
The lightly-raced nine-year-old rounded off the campaign when 10th in the Grade Three Byrne Group Plate over two and a half miles at the Cheltenham Festival on March 13.
Jefferson reported: "I am very happy with Firth Of Clyde and he will run in the Bobby Renton providing the ground is good or softer.
"I thought he did very well last season. He was pretty consistent and is a grand horse actually. He came into training quite late in life (debut October, 2012) and has done nothing wrong. He was a bit difficult as a young horse and it took a while to get him to do anything, but he has turned himself around and is quite straightforward now.
"He jumps away and might just get three miles one day, but I wouldn't be sure. We will start at Wetherby over two and half and work from there.
"I thought he ran well at Cheltenham in a competitive handicap. He was bang there with three to jump and Brian (Hughes) was very pleased with him. I wanted him to go there to see if he would handle the occasion and anything else was a bonus. He was only a novice and we thought he ran a grand race.
"I hope he can pick up a nice race the season. The way he is rated, we might have to send him down south because there won't be too many races for him up here."
Entries for the Bobby Renton Handicap Chase also include Master Of The Hall (Micky Hammond), who was a high-class novice during the 2010/11 season for Nicky Henderson, the hat-trick seeking Shadrack (Keith Reveley) and Filbert (Philip Hobbs).
The action also includes the £10,000 Racing UK Anywhere Available Now Handicap Chase (2.50pm, 10 entries) over two miles, which could feature the highly progressive Robin's Command (Rose Dobbin). Also engaged are course and distance victor Dunowen Point (Donald McCain) and dual chase scorer Zaru (James Ewart).
