Denman is likely to face a small field in his final run before the Cheltenham Gold Cup as only 10 entries were received for the Aon Chase at Newbury on Saturday.

Mick Channon will get tough with Flashy Wings in the next few weeks before making a decision on whether to give her a run before the Stan James 1000 Guineas in May.

INGLIS DREVER became the latest high-profile casualty of the New Year when he was ruled out for the rest of the season with a tendon injury yesterday.

King Harald is as low as 7-1 favourite for the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup after weights for the November 26 feature were released.

Mick Channon will contact owner Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum before making a decision on Hazeymm’s participation in the Racing Post Trophy on Saturday.

THE former trainer of Be My Royal launched a legal action yesterday over “a serious injustice” he says occurred when the racehorse was disqualified from first place in the 2002 Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup.

ESSEX was on the drift yesterday at the head of the market for today’s totesport Trophy Hurdle - but trainer Michael O’Brien is still confident about his chance.

Timmy Murphy feels confident of adding to his 1999 Hennessy Gold Cup success on Ever Blessed when he takes the mount of ante-post favourite Celestial Gold in tomorrow’s renewal of the big Newbury handicap.

A weekend of trials closed with an emphatic victory for Vodafone Derby favourite Yeats in Ireland yesterday, while the horse to make the biggest impact on the Classic picture in Britain was undoubtedly Salford City.

Willie Mullins has announced his intention to appeal against today’s disqualification of 2002 Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup winner Be My Royal.

Largo D’Orta, second to Trade Fair in last Friday’s Dubai Duty Free Cup, has come out of the race in top form according to his trainer Clive Cox.

Saturn, impressive winner at Newbury on Friday, is set to have his last run of the season at either Doncaster or Ascot next month depending on the ground.