MARLBOROUGH WAITS FOR GOLD Marlborough remains on target for the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup but is very likely to sidestep Aintree`s Grand National meeting if the rearranged festival goes ahead. The Robert Ogden-owned nine-year-old is unbeaten in two outings this term following victories at Cheltenham and Wincanton and Ogden`s racing manager Barry Simpson stated today that he will miss a tilt at the Martell Cup due to the short time period between the Aintree and Cheltenham meetings. Simpson explained: 'Marlborough will not want to have two races quickly and the way they now fall means we don`t want to run him in the Martell Cup and then go to Cheltenham just two weeks later. 'I`ve spoken to Nicky (Henderson) and Robert Ogden and discussed it in full with them both. Nicky is very keen we don`t mess up a Cheltenham Gold Cup bid, which has always been his target, by going to Aintree.' However Simpson confirmed that Marlborough would be entered for the Aintree race in case Cheltenham`s rearranged dates are abandoned due to the current foot-and-mouth crisis. In that case, the nine-year-old could go to Aintree before being aimed at the Whitbread Gold Cup at Sandown later in the month.Simpson did not rule out the Scottish National, either, which is due to be staged just two days after the new Cheltenham dates. See More Business, who is owned by Ogden in partnership with Paul Barber, is on course to attempt to follow up last year`s win in the Martell Cup before attempting to repeat his 1999 victory in the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup two weeks later. Simpson said: 'See More Business will be entered for both races and could very well run in them both. 'Paul (Nicholls) is very keen on him going for both events. He`s also entered in the Whitbread and he is very likely to run in two out of three of those races. 'However ground conditions could well play a part in all our future plans. I`m not sure everybody`s fears about the going being firm or fast at these meetings is going to prove correct. 'But it is another piece of the jigsaw that makes everything a bit unpredictable at present.'
