'I think he fits the profile for it nicely' - can Cesarewitch favourite Pied Piper lead them home for confident Gordon Elliott?

David Pipe has first-hand knowledge of what it takes to win the Cesarewitch with a claiming jockey and hopes Christian Howarth's 5lb claim can help Wordsworth.

Pipe's legendary father Martin won the Cesarewitch twice and used a certain apprentice called Ryan Moore when saddling Miss Fara to victory in 2002.

Howarth, a crack footballer released by Cambridge United in his youth, is relishing the opportunity of repeating that feat and said: "It's brilliant to get on a horse like this. I first heard about it on Tuesday and it's a very big opportunity for me.

"It's my second ride in a big handicap this year, as I rode in the Ebor up at York as well, and these are the races you want to ride in. Jump trainers have won the last five renewals of the race, so they have a good recent record in it."

Wordsworth, a smart performer for Aidan O'Brien at one point, is not Pipe's only runner, as he also fields Bashful Boy, who has another 5lb apprentice on board in Aiden Brookes.

"Wordsworth won't mind the rain that's come," the trainer said. "It'll be very difficult off near enough top weight, hence we're claiming off him, but he won nicely over hurdles at Bangor last time which sharpened him up. He hasn't got the ideal draw in 34 though.

"Bashful Boy was off a career-high mark in the trial and ran okay recently. We're taking some weight off him too. He didn't really want this rain but I'd say he'll take his chance. He's at the right end of the weights so you never know."

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Wake up to Sleepy's record

The likeable Not So Sleepy's Cesarewitch record reads 443, although he is off a higher mark this time round after a fluent Newbury success last month.

He dead-heated with Epatante for the 2021 Fighting Fifth and has his quirks, but has earned £515,813 in prize-money and has been a star for owner-breeder Lady Blyth and trainer Hughie Morrison, who also runs Vino Victrix, second – one place ahead of his stablemate – in the Cesarewitch 12 months ago.

Morrison said: "We'd like some juice in the ground for Not So Sleepy as he loves it when it's soft, but how soft would he want it over two miles two? That's open to question, but he showed when he won at Newbury last time he's in great form. If he could turn up and show the same form, he'd run a fantastic race whether he finishes first or tenth. He's in good form and is enjoying life.

"I'd prefer the slow side of good for Vino Victrix, who ran well when second in the race last year. I don't think being drawn 24 is a disaster for Not So Sleepy if he can go forward and get a position."

What they say

Willie Mullins, trainer of Jackfinbar, M C Muldoon, Lot Of Joy, Zenon and Mr Escobar
We're travelling more in hope than expectation with our team this year. I was hoping the rain would stay away for Jackfinbar, as I felt the better the ground, the better the chance he had. We will ride M C Muldoon differently to the way he was ridden in the Irish Cesarewitch and hold onto him a bit more. Lot Of Joy ran a bit better than where she finished in the Irish Cesarewitch, I thought. Zenon had been off for a very long time before his run at Bellewstown, so will certainly come on for that. I was happy. Mr Escobar is not the easiest of rides, so Siobhan [Rutledge] will have her work cut out, I'd say!

Roger Teal, trainer of Ocean Wind and Blazeon Five
I'm not sure how both of mine have been drawn high, but the ground will help both of them. Ocean Wind is a hard horse to assess at home because he's very lazy and doesn't shine, but you have to hope he wakes up on the day. If he can get a good position from his draw, he could run well, as could Blazeon Five, who is tough and stays well. They've live outside chances.

Gordon Elliott, trainer of Pied Piper
He seems to be very well and we brought him back early for the race, as I think he fits the profile for it nicely. He has some good back Flat form and we're looking forward to running him. He needed to run at Killarney last time to qualify for this as he hadn't run on the Flat for so long. It should have left him spot on for this. He has good jumps form, too, and stays well, and it was a good run when he was sixth in the Ascot Stakes at Royal Ascot last year.

Noel Meade, trainer of Jesse Evans and Sheishybrid
I've been delighted with Jesse Evans since the Curragh. He had a hard race in the Irish Cesarewitch. He has been at it a while as he's been revved up for Galway and the Cesarewitch, so hopefully he's still on song. I'm not altogether sure the trip will suit him, but we're hoping he has a good shout. Sheishybrid was second in the trial and she's better off at the weights now with Grand Providence. She does get the trip really well, has a good claimer [Danny Sheehy] on board, but she likes fast ground.

Emmet Mullins, trainer of The Shunter
Hopefully he has a good chance. A stamina test like this should be right up his street and James Doyle is a great booking to get in a race like this too.

Syd Hosie, trainer of Temporize
I took him to Goodwood for a run last month but the ground was too quick, so I took him home and galloped him the next day to take him off the boil, which was good. The ground has panned out well and he's in a really good place because he didn't pick up any extra weight by running that day at Goodwood.

Steve Packham, owner of Goshen
Gary [Moore] always likes to get a run on the Flat into him, and it’s a right-handed track, so it suits Goshen. He wants this trip all day long and it’s an ideal race for him. We still feel he’s reasonably handicapped. Every time he’s run on the Flat recently it hasn’t been his ideal conditions and he’s still run well, so we’re optimistic. He goes well fresh and he’s in good form – no doubt he'll benefit from the run but he’s fit enough to do himself justice.

Read the rest of Saturday's previews:

1.25 Newmarket: €2m well spent? Ancient Wisdom out to enhance reputation and extend Godolphin dominance in Autumn Stakes

2.00 Newmarket: 'The ground is not going to be ideal for City Of Troy' - Aidan O'Brien on the hot favourite in the Dewhurst Stakes 

2.25 York: 'His form on soft ground puts him right up there' - analysis and key quotes for the Coral Sprint Trophy 

2.30: 'The Grand National is definitely the plan again' - road to Aintree begins for Eva's Oskar 

2.50 Naas: 'He's a strong traveller so the race should suit' - key quotes and analysis for the competitive Birdcatcher 

4.15: 'I'd be disappointed if he's very not competitive' - trainer quotes and analysis for Chepstow's Silver Trophy 

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