KLAIRON DAVIS and Viking Flagship, between them the winners of the last three runnings of the Queen I Mother Champion Chase, dispute favouritism for next Wednesday's renewal at the Cheltenham Festival, for which a total of nine horses stood their ground yesterday.
Both Ladbrokes and William Hill have a slight preference for last year's winner, Klairon Davis in their lists, but Coral are unable to separate Arthur Moore's gelding and the David Nicholson-trained Viking Flagship, successful in 1994 and 1995. Coral quote the pair at 9 to 4.
Tom Tate's Ask Tom, winner of five of his seven starts over fences, including the Victor Chandler Chase at Kempton last time out, is rated a 7 to 2 chance by Coral while Hill's offer 4 to 1 and Ladbrokes 5 to 1.
Ladbrokes report substantial backing or Strong Promise, conqueror of One Man in the Comet Chase at Ascot, and have cut him from 9 to 2 to 7 to 2.
The going for the Festival remains good (watering) on both the Old Course (Tuesday and Wednesday) and the New Course (Thursday).
Graham Bradley was fuming after receiving a seven-day suspension for taking the wrong course at Exeter yesterday. Bradley, riding second-past-the-post Carole's Crusader for David Gandolfo in the Diamond Edge Novices' Chase, was adjudged by the stewards to have gone the wrong side of the fourth-last fence, which was dolled off.
The jockey, whose mount was disqualified, will be sidelined for March 17th-22nd and 24th.
Clearly unhappy at the severity of his punishment, Bradley said: "I am disappointed. If they had to do me it should have been for three days and not for seven.
"When you are out there and the adrenalin is up and you are trying to ride a finish it is a bit different to sitting in the stewards' room seeing it all in slow motion."
The race was won by Bear Claw, who was completing Jamie Osborne's fourth century.
Tony McCoy, who was injured in a fall at Wincanton on Thursday, rode a double when partnering Font Romeu and Give And Take to victory for Martin Pipe in the first two races.
Willie Carson, who last Sunday announced the end of his riding career, makes a surprise return to the saddle at Wolverhampton today.
Carson, who has never ridden at Dunstall Park before, is set to ride up the home straight on the turf track on horseback against a greyhound on the all-weather course in a match over 300 yards, due to take place at around 2.00pm, 10 minutes before racing.
