TOM Queally is hoping for a bit of luck in what the jockey describes as a "big year ahead" for the unbeaten colt Frankel.

The Henry Cecil-trained three-year-old is ante-post favourite for the 2000 Guineas after winning all his four starts as a juvenile, culminating in the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket in October.

"There's a big year ahead for him. He goes into his three-year-old campaign with a totally unblemished record," said Queally.

"He's top-rated along with Dream Ahead and he's trained on nicely, we think. I've seen him and he seems to have done very well.

"For the campaign ahead you'd hope for a bit of luck and if he maintains anything like the record he's had until now it looks like we'll have a fun year."

Frankel has been cut to even money for the 2000 Guineas by Ladbrokes, whose spokesman David Williams said: "The recent support for Frankel has been relentless.

"All the vibes seem to suggest that he is absolutely flying at home."

L

QUINZ is almost certain to head for the John Smith's Grand National in the wake of his victory in the Racing Post Chase at Kempton on Saturday.

Still a novice, the Philip Hobbs-trained seven-year-old found extra in the finish to hold off the challenge of Mount Oscar, giving the Minehead trainer a fourth win in the race.

Although entered in the Stewart Family Spinal Research Handicap at Cheltenham, for which he is a general 10-1 chance, he has been put up 9lb for that and Hobbs said: "I'd say the National would most probably be the plan now, provided it is not soft at Aintree.

"The reaction of the handicapper is pretty much what I expected."

While still relatively inexperienced, Quinz has been allotted just 10st 8lb for the Aintree marathon.

He is a best-priced 25-1 for the April 9 showpiece.

NICKY Henderson has effectively ruled Punchestowns out of the Cheltenham Festival and is considering giving the chestnut a run at the racecourse which has lent him his name.

Although entered in both the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Ladbrokes World Hurdle, Henderson is looking away from those events.

Punchestowns finally managed a win this season with a fairly unconvincing defeat of Pasco at Kempton last month.

"I think we can say Punchestowns won't be here," said the trainer at a Cheltenham press conference.

"I don't think he'll win a Gold Cup or a World Hurdle so we are better to stay out of it. There's Aintree and we've always said he should run at Punchestown one year. Maybe it could be this year. That would be over fences."

Henderson admitted the publication of the weights for the Festival handicaps had thrown him into confusion.

His Molotof is the top weight for the Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle while A Media Luz, who was to be diverted to the Triumph Hurdle instead, has 11st 4lb.

"Our plans have rather fallen out of synch, especially with the four-year-olds," he said.

"What we thought was sorted a fortnight ago has now fallen out of order – some are now in and some are now out – and we need to go away and have a think."

Henderson said it was "more likely than unlikely" that Riverside Theatre would contest the Ryanair Chase after a brief chat with connections this week while he has not made up his mind about a Cheltenham target for French Opera.

The Game Spirit Chase winner is top weight of 11st 12lb – 6lb higher than next best Tchico Polos – in the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase.

However much the trainer would like to win the event commemorating his father, he is also considering the sportingbet.com Queen Mother Champion Chase.

"I haven't discussed it with the owner yet," he said.

"He and Mad Max are in both races. On the one hand it could help horses like Anquetta at the bottom of the weights, and I could claim off French Opera, but on the other they all have different owners."

DON'T Push It is likely to follow the same route as last year and have his final race ahead of the John Smith's Grand National in the Pertemps Final at Cheltenham in a fortnight.

Jonjo O'Neill's gelding was pulled up in that handicap hurdle last March but famously galloped to glory at Aintree a few weeks later under Tony McCoy.

Connections are keen on taking that path again, although he does hold an entry in the Wiltshire County Show Supporting Greatwood Gold Cup Handicap Chase at Newbury on Saturday.

"He's in on Saturday, but he'll more than likely wait for the Pertemps at Cheltenham," said Frank Berry, racing manager to owner JP McManus.

"He's come out of his last race very well (at Newbury last month) and Jonjo couldn't be happier with him."

Don't Push It has been left shouldering top weight of 11st 10lb alone after Neptune Collonges was scratched at the first acceptance stage, for which there is still a field of 82, from an original entry of 101, for the world's greatest steeplechase on April 9.

Just 2lb away is Midnight Chase, who has a major date at Cheltenham himself first in the totesport Gold Cup before any decision about Aintree is made.

"Midnight Chase is going for the Gold Cup first and we'll see after that what will be on the agenda for him. No decisions will be made until we see how he is after Cheltenham," said his trainer Neil Mulholland.

"He's a horse that is improving and if he improves just that little bit more he is a lively contender, but until we run him in the Gold Cup, we don't know.

"If he does run a big race at Cheltenham we could decide to keep him for next year's Grand National – we'll have to see.

"He has got 11st 8lb at Aintree. That is high but we're not worrying about that at the minute. He's a Cheltenham specialist and the Gold Cup is the focus - his only other entry is in the Grand National, so other than that he has no fixed agenda and we'll see what happens at the Festival.

"I'm absolutely delighted with his progress since his last run – I couldn't be happier with him."

BACKSPIN, who was due to run at the Cheltenham Festival, has died after suffering a suspected heart attack in his box at Jonjo O'Neill's stables.

The six-year-old had won his first three starts, including the Grade One Challow Hurdle at Newbury, before losing his unbeaten record when fourth to Bobs Worth on Festival Trials Day at Cheltenham in January.

He held entries in the Stan James Supreme Novices' Hurdle and the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle at the big meeting in two weeks' time.

"He died in his box on Tuesday night. It's one of those things," said Frank Berry, racing manager to owner JP McManus.

"It was possibly a heart attack but we're waiting for the autopsy before we know for sure.

"He was a nice horse, but unfortunately these things happen."

ROBIN Dickin is indebted to Long Run's owner Robert Waley-Cohen for for allowing him to use his gallops in Restless Harry's preparation for the Ladbrokes World Hurdle.

Instead of giving his Cheltenham hope a racecourse spin on testing winter ground, the Stratford trainer has taken his stable star to Waley-Cohen's gallops for some vital work which Dickin believes is paying off.

"He's very well. He worked on Tuesday morning and worked very nicely," said Dickin.

"I haven't done a racecourse workout with him because the ground has been so appalling on every racecourse in the country. I didn't see the point.

"Very kindly, Robert Waley-Cohen lets me use his gallops and they are just absolutely fantastic and I've left space for him to have another piece there next week. He will go for the World Hurdle."

Restless Harry, who was third to Grands Crus in the Cleeve Hurdle on his latest start, is a 33-1 shot for glory in the three-mile staying hurdle championship race on March 17.