Pam Sly’s stable star set for Nottingham comeback and the Thorney trainer has a fancied runner at Leicester on Tuesday

Successful in her first three bumpers, which included Listed success at Market Rasen, Eileendover went on to finish fourth in a Grade Two bumper at the Aintree Festival in April after setting off as favourite.

However, since she transferred to the Flat last term, she ran a number of good efforts in defeat and also tasted victory at Newmarket in a competitive handicap in August.

The five-year-old went on to finish fourth in a Grade Two event at Doncaster in September, before her season finished with a fifth-placed effort in a Listed event at Newmarket in September.

Sly, who famously trained the 2006 1000 Guineas winner Speciosa, is keen to remain on the Flat with her stable star. Discussing targets for the season ahead, Sly told ‘My Betting Sites’: “Eileendover started cantering on Friday. She just did the one (canter). Jack Andrews rode her and said ‘this is different class!’ She’s going to stay on the Flat I think - I don’t think we’ll be going jumping.

“I’m looking at the Further Flight at Nottingham at the beginning of April. I just want to get a bit of black type from the Flat on her. She’s probably grown a little bit over the winter.”

Sly saddles the ultra-progressive Xcitations at Leicester tomorrow (January 25) in a Limited Handicap Chase at 3.50pm. The seven-year-old scored in fine style at Doncaster in December, keeping on strongly to score by a length and a quarter under regular pilot Paul O’Brien. The four-year-old has been raised to a mark of 131 for this assignment, but looks open to any amount of improvement after just four runs over fences.

His main rivals include Golden Boy Grey who stayed on strongly to score for Gary Moore at Taunton earlier this month. However, the clear danger is Tokay Dokey for Dan Skelton. The eight-year-old chased home a subsequent Graded winner at Warwick in December, before going one better to score in fine fashion at Market Rasen in December. He looks the one to beat, but Xcitations remains a fascinating runner in this event.

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