Doumen Targets Betfred Bonus

Francois Doumen is hopeful of bagging a £250,000 bonus offered by the sponsors when favourite Kelami runs in Saturday´s Betfred Gold Cup at Sandown.

The French raider and Juveigneur are the only two of the 21 confirmed for the race yesterday to qualify for the huge jackpot, offered to any horse who could score at the Cheltenham Festival and then land the Betfred.

Kelami, winner of the William Hill Trophy, had previously finished third to Forest Gunner at Haydock and is as short as 7-2 with Coral for the season´s finale, which carries a prize fund of £150,000.

'The new bonus is exceptional, a marvellous effort, and that is why we are coming to try and win it,' said Doumen yesterday.

'Kelami did his last piece of work this morning and everything was pretty satisfactory.

'At this time of the season, the horses usually have bags under their eyes as they need a rest, but he is not showing anything like that at the moment. Robert Thornton will ride him.

'Sandown is a hard track and the railway fences always take some jumping, but he keeps suprising me with the ease in the way he is improving and I am hopeful we can win the bonus.'

Martin Pipe is going all out to keep the trainers´ title having left eight horses in the race.

? PA Sport