Dolatulo on target for Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster

Warren Greatrex feels Dolatulo goes to the Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster on Saturday week with a "good each-way chance".

The nine-year-old was thwarted in his bid to win the Rowland Meyrick Chase at Wetherby for the second successive season when the Boxing Day card was washed away and has been targeted at Town Moor ever since.

He has been restricted to just one run so far this term, a very encouraging third in the Becher Chase at Aintree.

The trainer said: "Dolatulo is an intended runner in the Sky Bet Chase and I am very happy with him. We were aiming him at the Rowland Meyrick Chase at Wetherby again over Christmas but that was abandoned, which was unfortunate as we thought that he had a good chance.

"I backed off him a bit after Boxing Day but he is in full work now and seems in good form. It looks a strong race based on the entries but Dolatulo has only had the one start this season, having run very well in the Becher Chase, and heads to Doncaster a fresh horse.

"He is a very solid horse who always runs his race and three miles around Doncaster won't be a problem. I don't know whether he is good enough to win the Sky Bet Chase but he will definitely go there with a good each-way chance.

"We are going to look at running him in the cross-country chase at Cheltenham after his run at Doncaster, which I think he could be made for. I don't think he quite stayed the Grand National trip last year and we won't be going down that route again."

Dolatullo has been handed a weight of 10st 5lb for the Sky Bet Chase, with the field headed by Ballynagour and Sam Winner on 11st 12lb.

A pound behind them on 11st 11lb is Hollywell whole the sponsors make Buywise (11st 3lb), Fingal Bay (10st 8lb) and Ziga Boy (9st 12lb) their 12-1 co-favourites.

Other leading fancies include Coologue (10st 12lb), who was second a Grade Two novices' chase at Doncaster in December, Cheltenham Festival winner Irish Cavalier (11st 6lb), and the Paul Nicholls pair of Virak (11st 11lb) and Le Mercurey (10st 8lb).

Kieran Gallagher, Executive Director at Doncaster Racecourse, said: "The move, taken by Doncaster and the British Horseracing Authority, to take the rating band off the Sky Bet Chase looks to have been a success judged by the entries.

"Potential runners such as Ballynagour, Sam Winner, Holywell, Virak and Rocky Creek have increased the quality of this year's renewal.

"Following ARC's announcement in December that prize money across its racecourses would be increasing to over £28 million in 2016, Doncaster can confirm increases in prize funds for both days of the Sky Bet Chase Weekend.

"Friday's card is boosted to £49,000, while Sky Bet Chase day has total prize money of £255,000 which is an increase of nearly a third on the previous year. The 2016 Sky Bet Chase will be run for £80,000."

Sky Bet Chase - sponsors prices: 12/1 Buywise, Fingal Bay, Ziga Boy, 14/1 Coologue, Holywell, Irish Cavalier, Le Mercurey, Virak, 16/1 Aachen, Annacotty, Midnight Prayer, Ned Stark, Salubrious,  Sego Success, Southfield Theatre, Splash of Ginge, Tenor Nivernais, 20/1 Audacious Plan, Bernardelli, Black Thunder, Doing Fine, Dolatulo, Double Ross, Drop Out Joe, Ikorodu Road, Le Reve, No Planning, Pass The Hat, Rocky Creek, Sam Winner, Seventh Sky, Si C'etait Vrai, 25/1 Ballynagour, Court By Surprise, De Kerry Man, Gullinbursti, Mon Parrain, 33/1 Man With Van, No Buts, Renard 33/1 Valleyofmilan, Velator, Yes Tom, 40/1 Distime, Glenquest, 50/1 Ueueteotl