Coome Hill is on the injury list and doubtful for the £70,000-added Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury on Saturday, it was revealed yesterday. The former top hunter, an impressive winner of the same event 12 months ago, pulled a muscle and knocked out a vertebra when he finished third to Banjo on his seasonal debut at Cheltenham earlier this month.

"He will be left in the race at tomorrow's declaration stage but we're going to give him an easy time and see how he responds to treatment over the next day or so," said his trainer Walter Dennis.

The doubts over Coome Hill mean that jockey Graham Bradley is now almost certain to partner the ante-post favourite Suny Bay - assuming he runs - on Saturday.

With Jamie Osborne nursing a broken wrist, Bradley has the option of riding Suny Bay or Coome Hill.

Suny Bay's trainer Charlie Brooks has been critical of the state of the course at Newbury and insisted that he would pull out Suny Bay unless there was a significant easing of the ground.

David Nicholson has also warned that Banjo, offered at 5 to 1 "with a run" by Ladbrokes, will only take part if there is some cut in the ground.

However, clerk of the course Richard Pridham had good news for supporters of the market leaders after walking the track yesterday morning.

"It's good on the chase and good to soft on the hurdles course now," he said.

"There's plenty of rain forecast this week and it could easily be good to soft on the chase course and soft on the hurdles course by Saturday.

"Edward O'Grady has told me that Time For A Run will run in the big race and as far as I know Francois Doumen still intends to send Djeddah from France. Everything's set fair now for a great race," said Pridham.

Brett Doyle moved into joint fourth place alongside Wendyll Woods aftger reaching the 15-winner mark at Sha Tin yesterday. Doyle continued his good run by scoring aboard Super fellow in the Salisbury Handicap over seven furlongs.