Race Preview - 09-12-08

For immediate release

Doncaster Racecourse

Race Preview: 9th December 2008

By Simon Mapletoft

JUMPERS TAKE CENTRE STAGE AT DONCASTER

Following another memorable season on the Flat, the jumpers return to Doncaster this week with a valuable steeplechase and a handicap hurdle taking centre stage on Saturday.

Channel 4 will be screening both races, starting with the Betdaq The Betting Exchange Handicap Chase over three miles. King Harald, successful over further at Doncaster back in February, is among the acceptors.

Also likely to appear is Ungaro, who finished a gallant second to An Accordion in last season's SkyBet Chase at Town Moor, before chasing home Grand National favourite Cloudy Lane in the Grimthorpe Chase.

The Betdaq In Running At 1% Handicap Hurdle over two miles has also attracted a top notch entry, with Paul Nicholls' Cheltenham winner Font and hat-trick seeking Irish raider Buachaill On Eirne set to clash.

Another eye-catching acceptor is the Evan Williams-trained Cedrus Libani, who made a winning re-appearance at Haydock last month. Bought for £50,000 out of Howard Johnson's powerful stable, this seven-year-old looks one to follow over the smaller obstacles before going chasing.

Doncaster's two-day meeting gets underway on Friday with a juvenile novices' hurdle at 12 noon, but the Sheffield And Hallamshire Sporting Club-sponsored handicap hurdle and handicap chase will be among the highlights.

Tim Vaughan's improving Direct Approach looks set to make his comeback in the hurdle feature after scoring at Southwell in the summer and David Pipe's Loom must have hat-trick claims after impressing at Sedgefield and Uttoxeter.

Doncaster's traditional Christmas fixture sets the scene for some exciting jump racing in the new year, with the SkyBet Chase, the Grimthorpe Chase and the valuable William Hill-sponsored card set to attract top names from the big National Hunt stables.