Tony McFadden provides an overview of the key things to note from the action on Monday.
Three points of interest
Recent recruits among Elliot's powerful Perth team
No trainer has had more winners at Perth since the start of the 2019/20 season than Gordon Elliott - his tally of 46 is eight higher than the next best.
Elliott hasn't had a winner at the track from five runners so far this season but he has an eight-strong team on Monday and is represented in every race.
Three of those runners head Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings, including a couple of relatively recent recruits to the yard in Grain of Hope (16:48) and General Hubble (17:55).
General Hubble had lost his way towards the end of his spell with Kim Bailey but he offered encouragement when third in a handicap chase at Killarney last month on his first start for Elliott. Grain of Hope was well held on both starts in handicaps for Emma Lavelle but has been cut some slack by the assessor and is potentially well treated now starting out for her powerful new stable.
Large P indicates Luckie Seven can show much better form
Elliott is also responsible for the top-rated horse in the opening novice hurdle (13:55), Gers Gigi. She has made a promising start to her hurdling career and was only narrowly denied at Wexford, where she was initially promoted only for that decision to be overturned on appeal, and then ran to a similar level when making the most of a good opportunity at Sligo.
Gers Gigi sets the standard on those efforts, though may struggle to deal with Luckie Seven if he makes the anticipated improvement following his win here in July on his hurdling debut.
Luckie Seven won by only half a length but he was value for extra as he wasn't as professional or as well positioned as the runner-up in a steadily-run race, but was still able to overhaul her, despite hanging to his right up the run-in.
That was his first start for 15 months and Timeform's reporter noted that his paddock appearance suggested the run would bring him on, so he appeals as a better prospect than most novices in action at this time of year and has the 'Large P' to highlight he's open to significant improvement.
Slicker jumping can unlock improvement from Jet Setting Jim
Luckie Seven earned Timeform's Horse In Focus Flag to indicate he would likely be of interest next time, as did Jet Setting Jim who contests the two-and-a-quarter-mile beginners' chase (18:15) at Galway.
Jet Setting Jim was third over the same course and distance in July but would have finished closer had he jumped with greater fluency. A bad mistake at the second placed him on the back foot and minor errors at three of the last four fences hindered his progress, but he stayed on in encouraging fashion up the run-in to grab third under considerate handling.
Jet Setting Jim had fallen at the final fence on his chasing debut at Tipperary when holding every chance, so he clearly needs to brush up on his jumping, but he has shaped with plenty of promise on both starts over fences and he remains with potential.
Tip of the Day
General Hubble - 17:55 Perth
Flags: Horse In Focus, Top-Rated
General Hubble disappointed on his final few starts for Kim Bailey but produced a much more encouraging effort on his first start for Gordon Elliott when third in a handicap chase at Killarney last month. General Hubble had to settle for minor honours but he stayed on to fare best of those held up, and that performance offers a platform on which he can build. He reverts to hurdling here on the same mark he defied at Market Rasen last November, so he's clearly fairly treated, and he could still do better for this powerful yard.
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