Foreman bids to stake Arkle claim
The French raider tackles the intercasino.co.uk Novices' Chase and Doumen is already eyeing a tilt at the Irish Independent Arkle Challenge Trophy if all goes well.
The eight-year-old won the 2004 Irish Champion Hurdle and although he was second in the Irish Arkle last year, he has yet to get his head in front over fences.
"If everything goes well the ultimate aim is to take him over to Cheltenham in March," said Doumen.
"I've given him a couple of runs over hurdles just to sharpen him up but the horse has been ready to run for three weeks but for one reason or another we haven't been able to run him."
Foreman will face just three rivals in today's two-mile event, which is registered as the Lightning Novices' Chase, including Paul Nicholls' Le Volfoni.
However, Doumen believes his runner boasts the strongest credentials and should prove his class in the Grade Two event.
"He should be the best horse in the race tomorrow. He ran well in the Champion Hurdle, he won the AIG Champion Hurdle and he is a very decent horse," the former jockey explained.
"I just thought we would learn more by taking him to England for a race rather than keeping him in France.
"The soft ground is a problem though. He prefers good ground but when he is very well he can cope with deep ground.
"I'm hopeful he will run well but it is a comeback race on very deep ground."
Le Volfoni is on a four-timer with his last defeat coming at the hands of leading Arkle contender Voy Por Ustedes, and Nicholls believes he holds every chance.
"Joe Tizzard gets on well with him and has ridden him the last three times. He'll love the ground and the track, and hopefully he will go nicely," Nicholls told Teletext.
Eamonn Sheehy's Kahuna makes the trip across the Irish Sea for the race while former prolific hurdle winner Marcel represents Martin Pipe.
Meanwhile, Percussionist will have a second crack at Graded company in the Anglo Irish Bank Novices' Hurdle at Haydock today.
The 2004 Vodafone Derby fourth has won two of his three starts over obstacles since switching to the care of Howard Johnson with his only defeat coming in a Grade Two event at Sandown.
He was pulled up that day and Graham Lee reported the five-year-old had a breathing problem, but that was not in evidence when he won at Wetherby last time.
Owner Graham Wylie is looking forward to today's race and believes Percussionist is worth another try in better company.
"He's done everything we've asked of him so far and he's done it in ground conditions that I don't think have really suited his running style, he said.
"It will be heavy tomorrow for him but he's got a good engine, he's a very tough horse and does it when he needs to. He's had a decent rest since his last race so we take our chances."
The ex-John Gosden runner face four rivals in the two-mile event with Martin Pipe's Nous Voila, Livingonaknifeedge, Leo's Luckyman and Accordello all lining up.
