Princeful is facing a long spell on the sidelines after his chasing debut ended in disaster at Doncaster yesterday.

Jenny Pitman's talented gelding sustained a leg injury as he was brought down in the Marketing Event Top Regional Venue Novice Chase.

The race proved to be a double dose of disappointment for Richard Dunwoody on his 35th birthday as he aggravated an old neck injury that forced him to give up his ride in the final race.

Pitman watched several replays of the race and before dashing off to her Lambourn base said: "It looks like he's sprained a joint."

The racecourse vet Peter Green said: "The horse was not sound when he came back. He has an injury to his near-hind leg which has been splinted and he's been sent off for X-rays and scans."

If the injury is confirmed as a sprained joint, Princeful may have to miss the remainder of the current campaign and is detrimental to the chances of Pitman's hope of pitching the horse into the Cheltenham Gold Cup in the year 2000.

The 4 to 6 chance jumped soundly enough until meeting his downfall at the seventh fence from home.

He appeared to make a slight error but would probably have survived had he not clattered into the stricken Optimism Reigns.

With Princeful out of the way, it was left to 20 to 1 chance Looks Like Trouble to come clear of Lead Vocalist.