Jax Junior has graded glory in his sights in Pendil

Jax Junior will bid to take another step forward in his career over fences when he contests the Ladbrokes Pendil Novices’ Chase at Kempton on Saturday.

The Lucy Wadham-trained seven-year-old was last seen at Sandown at the end of January, winning a valuable two-mile handicap by four and a quarter lengths.

It was a return to form for the gelding, who started out promisingly when first taking to the discipline but was tailed off in the Noel Novices’ Chase at Ascot before Christmas and was found to be out of sorts in the aftermath.

A burst blood vessel was the culprit, and after recovering and undergoing a wind operation he was back to his best at Sandown and will aim to maintain that form at Grade Two level on Saturday.

“He’s been in very good form, we’ve been really pleased with him since Sandown,” said Wadham.

“He broke a blood vessel at Ascot and I think he might have had a bit of a virus. We re-did his wind and that seemed to help.

“We gave him a bit of time and he’s come back very well.

“I think he’s quite versatile with regards to trip, anything between two and two and a half miles seems to be OK for him.

“I hope it will be a nice opportunity for him, there’ll probably be a bit of an argument about who is going to make the running but we don’t mind that.

“We’ll just slot in, we’re looking forward to it.”

Harry Derham is due to saddle Jasmine Bliss in the two-and-a-half-mile contest, a seven-year-old mare owned by the Noel Fehily Racing Syndicate.

A smart hurdler last term, she has taken well to chasing when proving herself a natural jumper and was most recently seen winning the Listed Lady Protectress Chase at Huntingdon in good style.

“She came out of her last race really well and she’s been in very good form ever since,” said Derham.

“We’re very happy with her, this is obviously a step up in grade but she’s now a black-type winner over fences and you then start to try and improve her pedigree some more.

“She ran so well at Kempton on Boxing Day, I think she’s got a good chance.

“She’s jumped particularly well over fences in her last two races, if she brings that to Saturday then that’s sure to stand her in good stead.”

Paul Nicholls’ Go West is one of the quartet due to line up, with his last outing a Musselburgh victory in early February.

Gary and Josh Moore’s Old Cowboy completes the field and looks to put behind him a fall at this track when stepping up to two and a half miles for the first time over fences in January.