INTERSKY FALCON can provide Jonjo O'Neill with a timely boost at Doncaster today following the tragic death of one of his stable stars, Miros, out at exercise yesterday.

At this stage of his career Intersky Falcon couldn't possibly hope to be a ready-made replacement for, Miros, who was strongly fancied for next month's Cheltenham Festival. However, the selection proved during a profitable early season campaign that he was no back number by scoring twice at Sedgefield and once at Market Rasen. Admittedly O'Neill's progressive young hurdler has been off games for 111 days since his latest win, but that's not to say he hasn't improved again.

If it is the case, Intersky Flacon (3.00) may turn out to be "thrown in" at the weights for the Dove Ings Showcase Handicap Hurdle on the historic Town Moor track.

The world and his mother will be climbing on the Henry Daly bandwagon now his stable has finally shrugged off a lean patch stretching back to the Christmas period.

If the theory holds sway, Daly's Haut Cercy will almost certainly go off a falsely-priced hot favourite for the three mile Minnow Novices Chase. As ever this correspondent always tries to search out "the value" in the race, and as a viable alternative Altapeter (2.30) might be worth an each-way punt.

Peter Beaumont's gelding, who failed to give his true running behind Rith Dubh and at Huntington, is far better judged on a cosy twelve length success achieved at Wetherby on January 10th.

It's a bit tough on poor Warrlin, yet to win over fences, to still be lumbered with the crushing burden of top-weight in the Liberty Bells Novices' Handicap Chase.

In the circumstances I fear Chris Fairhurst's eight-year-old will struggle to concede 27lbs to chasing newcomer Stone Cold (3.30).

Despite being the subject of considerable market support, the latter flopped in a warmish handicap hurdle at the course last time out.

As a result trainer Tim Easterby has taken the plunge and decided to send his gelding chasing at the relatively young age of five, a calculated gamble with definite prospects of coming off in a relatively weak event. Jeff King's Real Estate (3.20) heads for Ludlow trying to go one better having frustratingly finished runner-up on both of his latest outings.

Although fearless Jeff was one of the all-time great jump jockeys, he's never really threatened to make anything other than a modest impact on the training ranks.

That said King does have his fair share of winners and Real Estate appears in good enough form to take the Teme Handicap Chase.