Egerton puts the accent on saddling big-priced winner; TRADING REPORT TRADING POST.

Byline: Matt Williams 

CHARLES EGERTON is always good value when interviewed on television, not because of his outrageous sense of humour, but his accent is so ridiculously posh I've heard some members of the royal family visit him for elocution lessons.

Harry Enfield would have a field day.

But for all that, he is a talented trainer, sending out two of the first three home in the opening juvenile hurdle at Newbury yesterday. The winner, Nino Cochise, was backed at a high of 150 pre-race, as Art Trend and Mount Helicon hogged punters' money at the head of the market.

Paul Nicholls' three-year-old was the best backed of the pair but ran no sort of race. He is better than the bare form, but I think connections should wait for handicaps and faster ground in spring.

Mount Helicon was a classy sort on the Flat in France, but that is no guarantee of success over hurdles and Nino Cochise's battling qualities won the day, with Alan King's debutant proving the scourge of in-running backers, some of whom backed him at the low of 1.01 (over pounds 5,000 matched at that price, with more than pounds 140,000 traded on him at 1.1 and shorter).

It seems lots of people were quick to criticise the runner-up, labelling him gutless, but conditions were desperate and he could still turn out to be very good - let's judge him after we have seen him on better ground. After Egerton, the next person interviewed on RUK was Tom George . . . more ammo for Enfield!

Market Man still has class

THE MARKET MAN'S career has been restricted by niggling injuries of late, but he proved at Newbury the engine is still as powerful as ever, and if Nicky Henderson can keep him sound for the remainder of the season he will have a major say in some big races.

He outstayed and outjumped his three rivals, including Kicks For Free, who was a shade disappointing. Perhaps the ground was too soft for Paul Nicholls' chaser and I wouldn't be in a rush to oppose him on better ground next time, provided he is given plenty of time between races.

Hurdlers out for the Crown

TODAY sees the first leg of WBX's Hurdling Triple Crown (30 is available on the sponsors' site that it will be won), with bonus-seekers hoping to get off to the perfect start by winning the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle, en route to picking up the million at Cheltenham in March. Looking at today's line-up, there is a good chance one of the first three in the betting will head to Cheltenham in search of the million, as the winner would nearly be favourite for the next leg, the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day.

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Nino Cochise (right) challenges Mount Helicon at the final flight before winning at Newbury yesterday EDWARD WHITAKER