Mr Lamb heads strong Pipe team

Martin Pipe's name dominates the confirmations for Saturday's Tote Gold Trophy with the record-breaking trainer responsible for…

Martin Pipe's name dominates the confirmations for Saturday's Tote Gold Trophy with the record-breaking trainer responsible for seven of the 20 horses who stood their ground at yesterday's five-day declaration stage.

Pipe's team for the £100,000 handicap hurdle at Newbury includes favourite Mr Lamb, Saturday's Agfa Hurdle winner Auetaler and William Hill Handicap Hurdle hero Copeland.

"If all seven run Martin Pipe will, in theory at least, be an odds-on chance to win the most competitive handicap hurdle staged this season," said Coral spokesman Simon Clare.

Nicky Henderson also has a strong team with four remaining in the race, Blue Royal, Geos, Masamadas and Veridian.

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Blue Royal is set to carry topweight of 12st, the weights rising by 12lb following the defection of Blowing Wind, Mr Percy, Bacchanal and Rodock.

Henderson was not too pleased with Blue Royal's burden and said: "This was always the worry, it always looked as if he would end up with top-weight. This has always been the plan - it's a bit brutal but there you go.

"Blue Royal will run, Geos will run, the ground will determine between Veridian and Masamadas - Masamadas would only run if it was very good ground."

The north's main challenger for the race is the Len Lungo-trained Crazy Horse, who has finished runner-up on his last three starts.

Last month's Tote Scoop6 Lanzarote Hurdle winner Heart has a good record at Newbury and trainer Henrietta Knight hopes that the mare can extend it in Saturday's race.

The seven-year-old has won both times she has tackled timber at the Berkshire track, including a defeat of Shahrur in November.

Tony Martin's She's Our Mare will miss the race but there are three possible Irish raiders in Back On Top, Native Dara and Owen Bart.

BETTING: (Tote Gold Trophy): Coral: 10-3 Mr Lamb, 5-1 Blue Royal, 7-1 Geos, 8-1 Heart, 9-1 Crazy Horse, 10-1 Crocadee, 11-1 Doctor Goddard, 12-1 Copeland, 14-1 Auetaler, 16-1 Rainbow Frontier, Native Dara, Hit And Run, 20-1 Bar.

See More Business will face a maximum of 11 rivals in the inaugural running of the Aon Chase at Newbury on Saturday, for which five-day declarations were made yesterday.

Paul Nicholls' charge will use the £50,000 contest as his preparation race before he attempts to defend his Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup crown in March.

Possible rivals include stablemate Courlis Pontet, the progressive Bobby Grant, Martell Grand National hope The Grey Monk, and 1998 Gold Cup runner-up Strong Promise.

The trainer acknowledged that See More Business' Gold Cup rival Florida Pearl had caught his eye when winning at Leopardstown on Sunday.