WITH the Cheltenham Festival Trials meeting having become a victim to the rain only a rearranged fixture (could be next Saturday) and the Betfair meeting at Newbury will allow Festival hopefuls one final chance to stake their claim to the March spectacular.

That now means that the feature betting event of the day is the Sky Bet Handicap Chase at Doncaster (3.15). This year’s renewal looks a wide open affair despite the claims of the progressive Cap Du Nord, Canelo and One For The Team. However, each of that trio have slight questions marks next to their names.

The first and third named though would be slightly compromised if the forecast rains continue in the South Yorkshire area whereas Canelo will relish such conditions and remains on the upgrade and is hard to assess as he just seems to do the minimum to win. I thought he was mightily impressive when winning at Wetherby in the Rowland Meryck, but he had to be coaxed home on that occasion and I just wonder whether he has a quirk or two up his sleeve for Tom Cannon to deal with.