YOUNG pretender Kingscliff might not yet be quite good enough to dethrone course specialist Marlborough (2.20) in the Tripleprint Chase at Cheltenham today.

The pre-race odds for the £40,000 clash between the two high-class stayers suggest Kingscliff, successful at this year's Festival in the Foxhunters Chase, will have the upper hand.

But I'm not so sure Robert Alner's up-and-coming six-year-old is ready to usurp Marlborough, who made the reigning Gold Cup holder Best Mate go all the way to the wire when finishing a gallant runner-up in the 2002 King George V1 Chase at Kempton.

Trainer Nicky Henderson's 11-year-old generally enjoys his visits to Prestbury Park, most famously when picking up the 1999 National Hunt Chase under a fantastic ride from his regular partner, Mick Fitzgerald.

It's a fine tribute to the toughness of Marlborough that he's still a force to be reckoned with, although Henderson did admit to leaving him short of work on his reappearance in the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby where he succumbed to the 40-1 rank outsider, Ballybough Rasher.

By contrast, Kingscliff remains unbeaten either in point-to-points or under Rules, his latest victory achieved at Ascot, trouncing Horus and Exit To Wave despite jockey Andrew Thornton having to contend with a broken rein caused by a mishap at the third of the 16 fences.

Assessing all the available evidence is always difficult in such cases, but I do feel Marlborough's superior experience on the premier stage will be the deciding factor in what is shaping up to be one of the best races of the season so far.

The cruel nature of the present handicapping system was never better illustrated than by the example of Zilbelline, whacked up 2lb even though he only finished fourth on his latest outing!

Trainer Brian Ellison would have been dismayed by the harsh hike, especially as he already faces an uphill task with the gelding, to date a serious under-achiever.

Zibelline was exactly the same when in the care of the talented west-country handler, Rod Millman, often getting too far behind in the early stages of valuable flat handicaps, prior to producing a whirlwind finish.

Only the strong will survive in the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle, destined to fall to Positive Profile (2.55) if my calculations are correct.

Given stamina is his long suit, it seems a minor miracle that Patrick Haslam's horse has won his last couple of starts over two miles and two-miles-three-furlongs respectively.

Now stepped up to a far more suitable three-miles-and-one-furlong, Positive Profile is fancied to brush the opposition aside once other hearts begin to waver and legs turn to putty on the long and gruesome climb to the winning post.

Chris Thornton's filly Reno is becoming very expensive to follow - hence the reason for opposing her with Penalty Clause (1.35) in the Yorkshire Racing Selling Hurdle at Doncaster.

According to the Official Ratings Reno is something of a "good thing" in the two-mile contest, however she's only pony-sized and for my money lacks the petrol to last out the trip.

Conversely Penalty Clause is a totally different kettle of fish - a great big strapping beast with the strength and scope to keep on galloping when others have cried enough.

Although Gay Kelleway's stable is having an unusually lean time at present she can normally rely on one of her leading lights, Labrett (2.30), to keep the flag flying.

Labrett, who did us a tidy favour when landing a 100-30 winning nap at Lingfield last month, failed to follow-up when tried on the fibresand at Wolverhampton 13 days ago.

It was a most uncharacteristic flop by the six-year-old, who now switches to Southwell in the hope of better luck.

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