BANGOR-ON-DEE Racecourse has witnessed a good number of leading Cheltenham National Hunt Festival contenders in recent years.
From Thisthatandtother, to Rigmarole, to Iris's Gift among a bundle of star names, but none probably go to the Festival with as big a chance as Denman who turned the £10,000 JPCS Novices' Hurdle at Bangor-on-Dee into a victory parade.
The favourite is as low in the betting for the Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle on the second day of the four-day festival as 3-1.
It seems that there are only two things against him at Cheltenham - his inexperience and his dislike of fast ground.
The first weakness is shared by many of his rivals, but the latter might be more of a problem as the race-course has not had much rain and is already considering watering the grass to encourage growth.
It was not grass growth that was the issue at Bangor-on-Dee's meeting. It was frost. Four inspections of the racecourse were needed before racing was finally given the go-ahead at lunchtime last Friday.
In an era when criticism comes easier than praise, it was pleasing that this season's leading National Hunt trainer Paul Nicholls - in whose charge is Denman was delighted with the racing conditions.
He went as far to say: 'It is beautiful old turf. You would have a job finding ground anywhere like that to run the horse on.'
There's one more fixture at Bangor-on-Dee before the Cheltenham Festival - the racecourse's first ever Sunday meeting on Sunday, March 5, when the first race is at 2.15pm. Ticket information is available on web site www.BangorOnDeeR-aces.co.uk or contact the racecourse on 01978 780323.
