Racing: Thornton's mastery enhances prospects for Sir Rembrandt

Good horses make good jockeys, they say. And while that may be true in some cases, in Andy Thornton's it is not; the man was good ever before he sat on a good horse and the professionals know it. But what his current association with some high-class animals has done has raised his public profile and put a spring in his step. "Good horses make confident jockeys," he said, "and if you're confident, you ride better. And if you ride better, you get more opportunities, and more confidence. And so it rolls on."

Thornton's reins-free victory on the Robert Alner-trained Kingscliff at Ascot last month is now the stuff of ride-of-the-season polls. Today at Chepstow in the Welsh National, he teams up with another young horse of potential from the Dorset yard, Sir Rembrandt, who burst upon the marathon scene with a stunning success in the Rehearsal Chase on the idiosyncratic track three weeks ago.

Over whether or not Sir Rembrandt can make the leap from high-class handicap company to greater things, as did Burrough Hill Lad, Cool Ground and Master Oats, Thornton is reserving judgement.

"He rides a top-class horse," he said, "but this is his first serious test and I'd like to see what happens before I make any bold statements. But he jumps, he's tough - he'd go to the bottom of the barrel for you - and although staying is his thing, he's got gears at the end as well." Sir Rembrandt, an Irish-bred son of Mandalus, is three from four over fences, his sole failure having come when he fell at the third in the Hennessy Gold Cup.

"He jumped the fence clean," said Thornton, "but his front feet slipped from under him when he landed. He must have slid 20 yards. It was too early to say what might have happened but perhaps it was fate, because if he had completed the course there he wouldn't have run at Chepstow and shown what he could do."

The big gelding galloped and jumped his rivals silly that day. "He's a massive, old-fashioned chaser," he said, "he's 17 hands plus and loves a big, galloping track - like Chepstow - where he can use his massive stride. The extra distance of the Welsh National will be no problem at all." Thornton's enthusiasm is infectious but the head, as well as his heart, says Sir Rembrandt (2.15) in what will be a war of attrition in today's ground over nearly three and three-quarter miles. He stays, he acts on the undulating track and not only is he favoured by the weights but, with only nine races under his huge girth, is surely improving. An action replay of his display earlier this month is not difficult to visualise.

The pair who finished third and fourth to Strong Flow in the Hennessy, Take Control and Hedgehunter, reoppose each other today but of more interest is another of the early Newbury casualties. Take The Stand progressed no further than the first but bounced back with a tidy display at Exeter and is another on the upgrade. Luckless little Wonder Weasel, brought down at Aintree last time, deserves a decent victory but may have to settle for a minor berth today.

The Welsh National is as likely to produce Grand National pointers as Gold Cup, with Corbiere and Earth Summit among previous victors of both.

Lists for the Aintree showpiece could be affected by events today at Wetherby, where Artic Jack (3.00) should follow up his comeback victory (after 19 months off) at Haydock. His jumping that day was impeccable and his pull in the weights should enable him to see off Hussard Collonges, who is classy but increasingly exposed as one-paced.

At Kempton the exciting two-mile novice Thisthatandtother (1.35) is unopposable but probably also unbackable. Of more lucrative interest at the Thameside track is Top Buck (2.05), who will be better for his run at Huntingdon last month.

Tomorrow, of course, all eyes - or rather, all eyes in betting shops, the sole venue for live Lord's Day observance of sport in Ireland in this country - will be on the Ericsson Chase at Leopardstown.

Nine were declared yesterday for the Grade One contest but, on all known form, seven are making up the numbers. The ground is soft, but may not have turned against Best Mate enough to blunt his most potent weapon and home draw and superior three-mile speed may not be enough to tilt the balance in favour of Beef Or Salmon.