Golan takes Road to Doncaster Golan Road makes the journey to Doncaster in search of picking up black type in the BetBright Cheltenham Festival Fund Mares' Novices' Hurdle. Trained in County Waterford by Michael Griffin, she will be taken on by Degenerous, who is from Sarah Dawson's stable in County Down. They count for a third of the six runners in the Listed contest over an extended three miles. Golan Road arrives in South Yorkshire on the back of a two-length victory in an 18-runner maiden hurdle at Leopardstown six weeks ago. Griffin said: "We've come over from Ireland for some black type. The owner wants her as a broodmare. She likes nice ground. We think this is a good opportunity. She's won a point-to-point over three miles so she stays the trip." Degenerous was well beaten in the Leopardstown race won by Golan Road, but shaped much better at Down Royal last time and is expected to appreciate the better ground on Town Moor. "She's fit and well and we're coming across to try and get a bit of black type because she hasn't had the good ground in Ireland," said Dawson. "She ran a very good race at Down Royal last time out, but it was gluey, tacky ground and she hated it. She's genuine and very honest and tries her best." Balmusette has finished second in all her three previous visits to Doncaster and her trainer Keith Reveley believes she will stay the longer distance. He said: "She ran well at the track last time. She finished second to a well-handicapped horse (Dewala). Conditions are right for her. It's just whether she's good enough. I'm just trying to get her a bit of black type for breeding purposes, so we need to finish in the first three, really. "I think three miles will be OK for her. Over two miles, three and a half furlongs at Doncaster last time she was finishing strongly. I'm hoping she'll get the three miles. Doncaster on decent ground is quite an easy three miles, so we'll keep our fingers crossed."
