MARLBOROUGH MISSES MARSH Leading Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup hope Marlborough will not run in the Bet Direct Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock on Saturday even if the meeting beats the weather. Connections have decided that conditions will not be suitable for the Nicky Henderson-trained chaser, an impressive winner at Cheltenham on his seasonal debut in December. The nine-year-old has a number of options, including a return trip to Cheltenham a week on Saturday for the Pillar Property Chase. Alternatively he may go for the Aon Chase at Newbury, where he could meet Gold Cup favourite First Gold, or the Racing Post Chase at Kempton, a race in which he finished second to Gloria Victis last year. Barry Simpson, racing manager to owner Robert Ogden, said today: 'We`ve taken a view that we`re not going to run, particularly in light of the ground and the doubts over the meeting. 'Nicky feels he only needs one more run between now and the Festival and there is nobody better than Nicky to produce horses absolutely cherry-ripe for the Festival. Should Haydock pass tomorrow`s inspection Ogden will see his colours carried in the Peter Marsh by Kingsmark. The Martin Todhunter-trained gelding, winner of the Edward Hanmer Memorial Chase at Haydock in November, has not raced since finishing sixth when favourite for the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury later that month. 'Our only runner if the meeting beats the weather will be Kingsmark, he will definitely run,' Simpson added. 'David Dennis will ride him. 'If this weekend doesn`t go ahead we`ll have to review things. 'Kingsmark is in the Great Yorkshire. He`s got 12st and we`ve got Ad Hoc in that race who would be our main hope I would say. 'A lot depends on ground conditions but there are one or two other alternatives.'
