Festival doubt over Buckby

Buckby Lane could be doubtful for next week’s Cheltenham Festival after returning with sore shins following a disappointing display at Newbury last Saturday.

The nine-year-old was sent off the 100-30 favourite for the Vodafone Gold Cup Handicap Chase, but faded into 10th place after hitting the fifth-last fence.

“I don’t know if it was the sore shins that caused him to make a mistake at the cross fence or whether it was the mistake that brought them on,” said trainer Paul Webber.

He has not yet given up hope of running Buckby Lane at Cheltenham, where the target would be the Mildmay Of Flete Handicap Chase, for which he is as low as 10-1 with Ladbrokes.

“We’ll have to see how they cool out and then see how he is at the weekend before deciding whether he can still go to Cheltenham,” he added.

Webber is hoping De Soto will be fortunate enough to make the cut for the Weatherbys Champion Bumper.

The four-year-old Hernando gelding made a pleasing debut when third to Karanja at Newbury last month.

“I hope he gets in, but there are 65 entries. The intention is to run if he is rated high enough, and he’s in great form,” added Webber.

Ground and weather conditions will determine which one of three engagements Aintree hope Duke Of Buckingham will take up this week.

The nine-year-old holds entries in hurdle races at Wincanton on Thursday and at Sandown on Friday and Saturday.

“I’m not sure where he goes yet, it depends on the weather. He’ll go where it’s driest. I certainly don’t want tacky ground for him,” said the Banbury trainer.

Duke Of Buckingham is in the Blue Square Casino Handicap Hurdle at the Somerset track, while his options at Sandown are the Association For Post Natal Illness ‘National Hunt’ Novices’ Hurdle and the valuable Sunderlands Imperial Cup.

The going at Wincanton is currently good to soft, soft in places, and at the Esher course it is soft, good to soft in places.

Duke Of Buckingham has not raced since finishing third to Great Travel over fences at Newbury in November.

Webber said: “I want to run him over hurdles as I don’t want to spoil his handicap mark over fences. His target is the Red Rum Handicap Chase at Aintree next month.”