Rimell hoping for suitable ground

Mark Rimell is 'desperate' to get a run into stable star Oneway in Saturday's totepool Game Spirit Chase at Newbury.

The nine-year-old was well fancied for last weekend's Victor Chandler Chase at Sandown but he was ruled out due to unsuitably quick ground.

Rimell is now keen to get a run into Oneway before tackling next month's Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

"I'd love to run him this weekend," said Rimell.

"I wanted to run him last week and the weekend before but I'm not prepared to run him on unsuitable ground.

"I will walk the course myself before I make a final decision."

The Berkshire track have watered after an unseasonably dry spell but they are forecast some chilly nights and Rimell is concerned about the possible impact on the ground.

"Genuine good ground would be fine for him but we won't know if it's going to be that until later in the week," continued Rimell

"I'm very happy with the horse at the moment but at the end of the day if the ground isn't right I won't run him.

"I've got the option of Lingfield the following weekend or if I had to take him straight to Cheltenham on the back of a couple of racecourse gallops, I wouldn't be averse to doing that.

"It's the combination of watered, frost-bitten ground and the lack of rain that worries me.

"I'm desperate to run him and if I'm happy with the ground he'll run and if I'm not he won't. It's as simple as that."