McGoldrick to be stable top dog

Although it's devilishly difficult to split Sue Smith's hugely talented duo, in terms of cruising speed Mister McGoldrick should have the edge, being a two to two-and-a-half-mile specialist.

Royal Emperor is better known as a stayer, having finished a heroic runner-up in last year's Royal & SunAlliance Chase at Cheltenham over the much more demanding distance of 25 furlongs.

It's also interesting that stable jockey Dominic Elsworth has opted to partner Mister McGoldrick, who meted out an uncompromising 11-length drubbing to the Paul Nicholls-trained Kadaran on his latest appearance at the track in January.

Since that time the gallant gelding has been switched back to hurdles, giving champion hurdle hope, Inglis Drever, a really good run for his money at Haydock.

Don't forget either that Royal Emperor ran well at that meeting, so don't be too shocked if the latter does happen to overcome Mister McGoldrick.

Further spice to the contest is added by the presence of the 2004 Grand National winner Amberleigh House. Despite not being expected to figure in the closing stages, Ginger McCain's evergreen chaser takes the opportunity for one more vital fitness sharpener before the defence of his Aintree title in April.

Ollie Magern (2.30) has been entered in next month's Cheltenham Gold Cup, therefore he'll need to assert his obvious superiority in the Totty Construction-sponsored Towton Construction Chase to make the line-up at the Festival.

After a series of exemplary efforts, Ollie Magern fired Carl Llewellyn into thin air with a colossal blunder at the fourth fence in a race won by our own North-East based star, Grey Abbey, in the Pillar Property Chase last Saturday.

It was a most uncharacteristic misjudgement by the Nigel Twiston-Davies novice, a point from which his backers can draw comfort because provided he stays upright everything else speaks firmly in his favour

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