King is looking for Cracker Factory to cash in at Doncaster

The three-year-old has won four of his six starts over the smaller obstacles and finished second in the other two.

He was beaten a length and a quarter by Quel Destin at Cheltenham on his latest outing and has the chance to take his revenge on Paul Nicholls’s charge.

King also saddles Elysees, who is on a hat-trick after victories at Warwick and Ludlow.

“They are both in good order and are fresh and well. We wouldn’t want too much rain as they are both top of the ground horses,” said King.

“Cracker Factory is in real good shape and worked very well on Wednesday. Elysees is a tough little horse, but he wouldn’t be as classy as Cracker Factory.

“I thought for a £50,000 prize we best fire a few shots at it.”

Charlie Mann has no great expectations for German import Capone on his jumps debut, but is pleased to get him going.

“He’s got some decent Flat form. He ran in the German Derby this year and he’s run in a couple of Listed races. He’s a nice horse,” said Mann.

“It’s a big ask first time, we’re under no illusions about winning or anything. I just want to get him on a racecourse and he might as well have a run round there instead of Catterick next week.”

Kim Bailey is delighted the prolonged dry spell has given him the chance to bid for Grade Two honours with Rocky’s Treasure in the bet365 December Novices’ Chase.

The seven-year-old has 8lb in hand on his three rivals in the three-mile heat having won his first three races over the bigger obstacles, including victory at Wetherby’s Charlie Hall Chase meeting.

Rocky’s Treasure, who will be ridden by Jonathan Burke, was only beaten four lengths by champion trianer Nicky Henderson’s top novice Santini at Newbury a fortnight ago.

“He’s a horse that loves fast ground,” said Bailey, whose hand has been forced by favourable track conditions on Town Moor.

“We ran him at Newbury the other day thinking we wouldn’t get any fast ground again, so this is an added bonus, if he’s good enough.”

Stuart Edmunds reports Theclockisticking to be up for the test – but feels Rocky’s Treasure will prove a tough rival.

“He’ll like the ground. He likes going that way round, but Mr Bailey’s horse is rated a lot higher than us,” he said. “There’s not much between the other three on ratings, so we’ll give it a go.”

Though quick ground has again hit field sizes, they will suit North Yorkshire couple Lucinda and Peter Atkinson’s Irish Roe, who will be attempting to win the two-mile handicap hurdle for a second successive year under Henry Brooke, who prevailed at Doncaster yesterday on the outsider Barton Knoll.

Today’s meeting at Doncaster is subject to a precautionary inspection due to the threat of frost. Yesterday’s card went ahead without problems, but forecast sub-zero temperatures prompted the need for a 7.30am check.