DON'T get down in the dumps about the small fields on offer for today's televised meeting at Cheltenham.

There's still some decent horses on show, none more so than Lord Dorcet, who makes the long journey from the North East for the two-mile Mitsubishi Shogun Handicap Chase.

A progressive hurdler in 1994-95 Alistair Charlton's gelding took very well to chasing last season and won four of his seven completed starts. Campaigned exclusively at two miles over fences, the six-year-old was successful twice at Catterick before running out a convincing winner at Ascot in February.

And at Sandown the following month, he put up a very game performance to beat Senor El Betrutti by a neck. But his best effort came next time when he ran a blinder in the Grade One Sandeman Maghull Novices' Chase at Aintree.

Lord Dorcet looked set for his biggest pay day until a bad, blunder two out, when disputing the lead, ruined his chances and hc finished second, beaten 15 lengths behind Ask Tom.

He rounded his season off by running a good third to Ventana Canyon and Double Symphony in the Tripleprint Novices' Chase at Punchestown in April. Reported by his trainer to be well forward, Lord Dorcet merits the nap in today's £10,000-added chase.

Another progressive sort, Coolree, can take the opening, Coln Valley Amateur Riders Handicap Chase.

Paul Nicholls eight-year-old looked a shade backward for his reappearance but still easily An Doras by five lengths. A 4lb pull should not be enough for the runner-up to turn the tables and Coolree clearly looks the best handicapped horse in the race.

First time blinkers can do the trick for Ramsdens in the Eurobale Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle. The blinds are applied after Nigel Twiston Davies four-year-old dropped away lamely and was pulled up at Bangor last time. But he'd earlier shaped encouragingly behind Mytton's Choice at Chepstow and faces three out of form opponents.