Hourigan raid hinges on weather

A forecast of high winds could pose a threat to Michael Hourigan's plans to run Dorans Pride in the £42,000 Bet Direct Tommy …

A forecast of high winds could pose a threat to Michael Hourigan's plans to run Dorans Pride in the £42,000 Bet Direct Tommy Whittle Chase at Haydock Park on Saturday.

Dorans Pride finished third in the 1997 and 1998 Tote Cheltenham Gold Cups and Hourigan, who intends to have two other runners at the Merseyside course, said yesterday: "My only concern is getting the horses in and out without any problems.

"I don't want Dorans Pride to be away for more than three or four days, so we are just keeping an eye on the weather before we set off. If we are satisfied there will not be any problems with the ferries the horses will leave here at 5 a.m. on Thursday and reach Haydock on the afternoon."

Alpha Blues is another Irish entry, in the Stanley Credit Novices' Hurdle, but his trainer Jim Dreaper reported: "It was just a precaution in case there was a problem with frost in Ireland this weekend, so he is very unlikely to run at Haydock."

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The winner of the Tommy Whittle will put himself in line for a £50,000 bonus if he can go on to win either the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup or the Martell Grand National next spring.

Haydock's racing manager Lisa Rowe said: "The ground is in great shape, just on the softer side of good to soft, but well up to taking a lot more rain without any risk of it becoming soft."

Call Equiname, a major flop when favourite for the Murphy's Gold Cup, bids to atone for that poor effort at Cheltenham on Saturday.

Paul Nicholls had intended bringing the nine-year-old back to racecourse action over Christmas but he has had a change of heart and will run his charge in the Wragge & Co Handicap Chase.

The grey was found to have an irregular heartbeat after pulling up in the Cheltenham showpiece on his latest start, but further veterinary tests found nothing amiss and he has pleased Nicholls in his home work.

Nicholls said: "He's an intended runner at Cheltenham on Saturday as he worked well this morning and pleased me. Mick Fitzgerald will ride."

Nicholls also intends to saddle Green Green Desert in the race and he will be partnered by stable jockey Joe Tizzard.

Nicholls is represented in Saturday's feature contest, the Tripleprint Gold Cup, by Irbee, who will also be ridden by Tizzard.

Frankie Dettori and Kieren Fallon will represent the United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong respectively in the International Jockeys' Championship at Happy Valley in Hong Kong tonight.