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Genes Reunited

Tataniano disappoints at Newbury.

Tataniano - Paul Nicholls's main hope for Arkle Challenge Trophy success at this season's Cheltenham Festival went into today's three runner novice chase at Newbury off the back of two successive wins, and at odds of 2/11 he was expected to have a virtual 'walk-over', but Emma Lavelle's outsider of three Suntini had not read the script.

On today's testing underfoot conditions, Tataniano could not dominate with speed, and his constant jumping to his right indicatied he was not happy throughout the race, so when Suntini came to challenge in the closing stages, it came as no suprise as he eventually got the better of Tataniano by half a length.

Paul Nicholls admitted after the race,

"I should never have run him on today's ground, but I wanted Ruby to partner him, and that meant I selected today's race rather than sending him to Doncaster tomorrow."

Henderson makes up his mind over novice targets.

After a meeting of interested parties on Thursday afternoon, Nicky Henderson confirmed today he had made up his mind on the next races for two of his leading novice chasers.

Very impressive Feltham Novice Chase winner Long Run will now go for the Kingmaker Chase at Warwick, and Punchestowns will be aimed at the Scilly Isles Novice Chase at Sandown Park.

If both come through their next respective outings in good shape, the major novice chases at this year's Cheltenham Festival would then seem to be beckoning.

Madison gets the nod in final Argento field.

Despite having a bit of a hoodoo hanging over him at Cheltenham, the David Pipe trained Madison du Berlais has been competing in races dominated by Kauto Star so far this season, and this means he should appreciate the apparent drop of company offered by the final field in tomorrow's Argento Chase at Cheltenham.

Pipe admits Madison du Berlais prefers flatter circuits, but all of his rivals in Saturday's three mile chase have reservations hanging over their current form.

Mark Bradstocks Carruthers won his last outing, but he is at his best on heavy ground. While last season's Argento Chase winner Joe Lively has so far failed to fire this season, and even with trainer Colin Tizzard reporting his horses have overcome a flat spot in their fortunes, Joe Lively still has a lot to do to overcome Madison du Berlais on all known current form.

Nigelel Twiston Davies won the Argento Chase in 2008 with Nowhere, and he and stable companion Ollie Mcgurn line up tomorrow. Twiston Davies believes Nowhere is in fine form ahead of Saturday's race, but his record so far this season is poor, and the gallant Ollie Mcgurn usually reserves his best performances for the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby.

Unless the unexposed Inchidaly Rock or long absent Taranis turn on the style for the Paul Nicholls stable in tomorrow's Argento Chase, it would seem the one to beat is Madison du Berlais.

Another Mighty blow for Daly.

Following his comprehensive novice chase win at Huntingdon on Wednesday, top class hurdler Mighty Man had been supported into aroudn 20/1 for this year's RSA Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. But Henry Daly's hopes of converting his ten-year-old into a top class steeplechaser have been dealt a major blow. For after checking on what appeared to be a slight nick on his leg, the vets have discovered Mighty Man has fractured his sesamoid bone, and while it is not career ending, it is an injury which will exclude him for this season, and as the trainer states,

"He has already missed two years of his racing career through a serious tendon injury, and while this injury may not be career ending, at ten years of age it will be hard to bring him back to the level he has shown in the past."

Uttoxeter and Fairyhouse also announce inspections.

With an artic blast moving down from the north across the British Isles, the race meetings scheduled to take place at Uttoxeter and Fairyhouse on Saturday afternoon are the latest to announce they will hold precautionary inspections on Saturday morning.

While both courses remain raceable at present, Uttoxeter have confirmed they will inspect at 8.00 am on Saturday, while Fairyhouse will take a look half an hour earlier at 7.30 am.

Cheltenham and Doncaster to hold precautionary inspections.

With the meteorological office weather forecast suggesting temperatures could drop as low as -3 degreess throughout Britain overnight, Cheltenham and Doncaster racecourses have decided to call precautionary inspections of their tracks at 8.00 am on Saturday morning.

With frost covers already in place at Cheltenham, and with the temperature in the South West of England not expected to reach the forecast -3 degrees, officials remainoptimistic about Saturday's scheduled card.

However, with colder temperatures likely in the North of England, Doncaster could face some problems with regard to its high profile Skybet sponsered meeting.

Editor's Comment: As a hardy Geordie I took my dog out for an early Friday morning walk, but after just a few minutes in a County Durham biting wind flecked with snow he had had enough, and I was more than happy to join him on the homeward retreat.

If these conditions do move down to cover the whole of Britain and Ireland in the next 24 hours, I must unfortunately conclude, I would expect at least one of Saturday's race meetings to bite the dust due to either frost or even snow.

Twiston Davies expects Boys to bounce back.

After winning the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle on his penultimate start, the Nigel Twiston Davies trained Beat The Boys disappointed on his last outing, but his handler believes that was due to unsuitable heavy ground, and with the going at Doncaster due to be much better for Saturday's meeting, Twiston Davies is expecting his gelding to put up a big show in tomorrow's Sky Bet Chase.

"Beat The Boys did it well over threemiles on good ground at Newcastle, and I am confident a return to three miles on satisfactory groundat Doncaster will help him to recapture his Newcastle form,"

Owner Ponsonby keen on The Betchworth Kid.

Since joining the alan King yard, former smart flat performer The Betchworth Kid has recorded a Plumpton win and Taunton second over the minimum two mile novice hurdling trip, but owner Henry Ponsonby believes his former Michael Bell trained flat stayer will benefit greatly from a step up in trip, and in a recent interview he explained his reasoning:

"The Betchworth Kid was at his best in staying events on the flat, and we all believe a step up to three miles for tomorrow's Albert Bartlett Novice Hurdle at Doncaster is exactly what he needs. He has been schooling very well at home, and the hurdles should not be a problem based on his two previous runs. If anything, he lacks a bit of finishing pace over the minimum trip, so the step up to three miles should play to his strengths."

It would appear some major anti post players agree with Ponsonby's assessment, as The Betchworh Kid has been the subject of some low level but sustained support for the Albert Bartlett Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Thornton takes ride on Calgary Bay.

When Calgary Bay ran away from his rivals on his last outing at Doncaster, trainer Henrietta Knight had managed to secure the services of top northern jockey Graham Lee, but with Lee having other obligations, the trainer has had to bring in Andrew Thornton to ride tomorrow's top weight in the Sky Bet Chase.

While Knight is not sure if a top weight has ever won the former Great Yorkshire Steeplechase, she has today confirmed,

"Calgary Bay is in great shape for tomorrow's race, and while I am disappointed we could not persuade Graham Lee to renew his partnership with our horse, Andrew Thornton is an excellent substitute."

Ground the key to Skippers future campaign.

Having inherited the giant Skippers Brig from the retired Len Lungo, Nicky Richards has been careful to place him in races where the going has been no drier than soft, and his third position behind Poquelin in the Boylesports Gold Cup indicated he is a very useful performer under the right conditions.

Richards had intended to run the gelding in last Saturday's Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock, but with the recent frost and snow having seriously effected his training programme, he has delayed Skippers Brig's return to the Victor Chandler Handicap at Ayr on 13 February.

Discussing his future plans for Skippers Brig, Richards said,

"Skippers Brig is a giant of a horse and he takes some getting ready. Having missed the Peter Marsh, we will send him back to Ayr providing the going remains soft. I would then love to send him to Cheltenham for the William Hill Trophy, but that will be entirely dependant on whether the ground att he Festival comes up soft."

Sheikh secures first winner at his new Meydan racecourse.

Apart from watching with pleasure the first day of racing at his new one billion pound Meydan Racecourse development in Dubai, Godolphin supremo Sheikh Mohammed was also able to enjoy his first winner at the new track on the inaugural meeting of the Dubai Carnival of Racing.

Given an easy lead, Frankie Dettori kept former Mark Johnston inmate Whispering Gallery in front right to the line in the 10 furlong Mustandfar Handicap sponsered by Shadwell Stud, and even the usually reticent Sheikh Mohammed allowed himself a smile as his winner entered the new high tech winners enclosure at the superb new racing venue.