Racing Diary February 27

10:09am Wednesday 27th February 2008

AFTER this Saturday's meetings there will only be 10 days to go before the start of the Cheltenham Festival, which to me and National Hunt enthusiasts all over the world is the greatest four days' racing of the year, with the exception of the Liverpool Grand National, which is over four-and-a-half miles. There is a championship race for every type of horse over every distance.

The late great scribe Jeffrey Bernard is credtited with the following quotation: "Racing is like an alfresco drinking club, it just moves locations daily."

There is reasonably good racing from Newbury and Doncaster this weekend - I shall be working at the latter and also at Bangor on Dee this Sunday.

At Doncaster this Saturday, the feature race is the Collfun Ltd Grimthorpe Handicap Chase over three miles and two furlongs. This race is a cracking Aintree Grand National trial, which sees the current second favourite for the race, Cloudy Lane from the Donald McCain Jnr yard, set to face the starter. If he does line up I will not oppose the Cloudings gelding, as last Saturday's easy Newcastle Eider chase winner, Comply Or Die, was beaten fair and square by Cloudy Lane at Haydock. He then followed up with an emphatic eight-length beating of Another Rum at Ayr next time out. If he wins this trial the old enemy could well have him as short as 5-1 for Aintree, such is the McCain factor in the National betting, especially as the trainer's famous father, Ginger, has won the race four times: Red Rum 1973-74 and 77 and Amberleigh House 2004. However, the main danger is likely to come from the Paul Nicholls trained Mr Pointment, who ran out a very game length winner of the Becher chases over Bewdleys Berry last time out. If Cloudy Lane is absent, Sprosser from the Oliver Sherwood yard will be my revised selection.

I expect Donald Mccain Jnr to complete a double at Donny with Ballybriggs (Nap) in the State Cinema Beginners chase. My selection was runner-up to Brandy Wine at Ayr last time out. The extra half-mile looks tailor-made for the Presenting gelding. If absent, Lenny Lungo's charge Monilith, who finished runner-up to Frarille Figg at Kelso last time out, will be my revised selection.

The feature race at Newbury is the Connaught Gold Cup, which can go to the Katie Waldron trained Nevertika (Nap). My selection has won all his last three starts at Hexham, Wetherby and Doncaster. In his last race he shouldered a double penalty and still beat King Louis by eight lengths on the bridle. My selection races off a career-best of 163 today, but he has earned it. If absent, Maljimar from the Nick Williams yard will be my revised selection.