HOC BACKED IN GREAT YORKSHIRE

Ad Hoc today proved popular in the ante-post market for the Pertemps Great Yorkshire Chase at Doncaster on Saturday.

Paul Nicholls` charge has been backed down to 8-1 joint-favourite from 10-1 with Ladbrokes, despite having fallen on his two starts this season.

The seven-year-old has also been clipped a point to 7-1 by William Hill.

The Leeds firm have also trimmed Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup runner-up Gingembre to 12-1 from 14-1 for the contest.

However the gelding`s connections have warned that the seven-year-old will the race if the ground becomes too soft.

Trainer Lavinia Taylor`s husband John explained today that they don`t want a repeat of his last run when he was pulled up on unsuitably soft ground in Ascot`s Tote Silver Cup.

He said: 'Basically there is a lot of heavy rain due over the next couple of days and if the going is heavy the horse will not run.

'Against our better judgement we let him run on heavy ground at Ascot after a hard race in the Hennessy on ground that was unsuitable and we don`t want to put him in the same situation again.'

The going at Doncaster is described as good, good to soft in places, and Taylor believes the horse could run a big race if the ground stays that way.

'He`s won at Doncaster twice and I think he`s a better horse on better ground,' he added.

'If the going was better I think we`d be disappointed if he didn`t run into a place or even better.'

Other market moves today included King On The Run - 10-1 from 12-1 with William Hill, Royale de Vassy - 10-1 from 14-1 with Coral, while Ladbrokes have cut Brother Of Iris (10-1 from 14-1) and Inn At The Top (14-1 from 16-1).

Coral: 7-1 Ad Hoc, Noble Lord, 10-1 King Of The Run, Gingembre, Royal De Vassy, 11-1 Celtic Giant, Bank Avenue, 14-1 Red Striker, Brother Of Iris, Red Marauder, 16-1 bar.

Ladbrokes: 8-1 Noble Lord, Royale De Vassy, Ad Hoc, 10-1 Bank Avenue, Celtic Giant, King On The Run, 12-1 Andsuephi, Brother Of Iris, Gingembre, Red Marauder, 14-1 Goguenard, Inn At The Top, Kingsmark, 16-1 bar.

William Hill bet: 7-1 Ad Hoc, 9-1 Noble Lord, 10-1 King On The Run, Brother Of Iris, 12-1 Bank Avenue, Celtic Giant, Royale de Vassy, Gingembre, 14-1 Inn At The Top, 16-1 bar.