Ski Lodge looks well placed at Doncaster

Ski Lodge rates a useful prospect and he can add to his record in the Virgin Bet Daily Extra Places Novices' Hurdle at Doncaster on Sunday.

A bumper winner for Alan King, he had been off a fair while prior to his hurdling bow at Ffos Las in November, where he showed up well before fitness came into it between the last two flights and he started to tread water.

Neither the experience nor the outing was lost on him, however, as he came good over another 800m at Haydock, moving like a winner throughout before showing a fine attitude to battle on when asked, always doing enough.

King's runner in the Virgin Bet "Junior" National Hunt Flat Race, Blue Sky Dreaming, is of definite interest on paper.

He is by Blue Bresil, the leading French sire of Constitution Hill, and his dam, Free Thinking, is out of a half-sister to the Gold Cup winner Long Run.

Blue Sky Dreaming makes his debut in the Long Run colours of Robert Waley-Cohen and is definitely worth a check in the market.

Nick Gifford's Koenigsstern looks to have been found a good opportunity to add another '1' next to his name in the Livescore Bet Best Odds Daily Novices' Handicap Chase.

He was a winner at Fontwell on Boxing Day over 3600m, but dropped to the minimum trip last time out at Huntingdon, he ran a solid race before dropping away late on.

Huntingdon will have been a sharp enough track for him, so while it is 3200m once more on Town Moor, he only faces three rivals and the long home straight is in his favour.

Harry Derham's Aviemore can turn the tables on Lavender Hill Mob in the John And Maureen Burns Juvenile Hurdle at Huntingdon.

The pair met when Aviemore made his hurdling debut, with James Owen's Lavender Hill Mob coming out on top by just over 8 lengths.

Since then, Lavender Hill Mob has turned in a very laboured effort at Haydock, while Aviemore has won at Warwick.

Lavender Hill Mob was rated 8lb better on the Flat and the jumps handicapper has come to exactly the same conclusion, but after just two runs to date, there is much more scope for Aviemore to improve.

The Warwick race he won was quite competitive, and by drifting left it probably masked his superiority somewhat.

The feature at Huntingdon is the £30,000 Prestige Developments John Bigg "Oxo" Handicap Chase, in which El Rio should take some pegging back.

He has been a completely different proposition since it was discovered he was suffering from a fibrillating heart last season.

Now in peak health, Kim Bailey and Mat Nicholls' charge has won three out of four this season and his win in a decent race at Kempton last time out came in a tougher contest than this.

He must go right-handed, so options are a little limited, but this prize looks his for the taking. - Press Association

SELECTIONS:

DONCASTER: Race 1 - 16.00 Champagnesuperover, Race 2 - 16.35 Koenigsstern, Race 3 - 17.07 Clondaw Fame, Race 4 - 17.40 SKI LODGE (NAP), Race 5 - 18.15 Jac Jumper, Race 6 - 18.50 Blue Sky Dreaming.

HUNTINGDON: Race 1 - 15.40 Aviemore, Race 2 - 16.15 Nativehill, Race 3 - 16.45 Pep Talking, Race 4 - 17.17 Cluain Aodha, Race 5 - 17.52 El Rio, Race 6 - 18.27 Cracker Star, Race 7 - 19.02 Bobajob.

LEOPARDSTOWN: Race 1 - 15.20 Champagne Jury, Race 2 - 15.50 Fortune The Brave, Race 3 - 16.25 Thedevilscoachman, Race 4 - 16.57 Royal Time, Race 5 - 17.30 Crescent Moon, Race 6 - 18.02 James Du Berlais, Race 7 - 18.37 Union Station, Race 8 - 19.12 Eternal Echo.