Although we're closing in on the Cheltenham Festival on March 11 there is some pretty decent racing this afternoon courtesy of Newbury, Doncaster and Kelso over the sticks and on the all-weather at Lingfield.

The £50,000-added Greatwood Gold Cup Handicap Chase (Newbury 3.50) has been won by some classy horses in the past - notably Cornish Set, Madison du Berlais and Big Fella Thanks - and Shangani can add his name to that illustrious list.

Venetia Williams has had a superb season and even if her strike rate has been reduced in the last two weeks her stable remain in fair form and this eight-year-old is handicapped to win this stellar prize.

The son of Giant's Causeway has shown the same grit and determination his sire used to on the flat.

He ran as well as he has ever done last time out when getting to within three lengths of that smart mare Une Artiste at Kempton Park last time out, giving her no less than 17lbs.

That may have merely served as a warm-up for this race and with a handicap mark of 132 (down 3lb from three runs this season) the eight-year-old looks set to strike for his popular trainer.

Stablemate Elenika has a very light weight here which will count for plenty on this ground, but I am not so sure that she can reverse recent Fakenham form with Dashing George.

An even bigger danger in my book has to be Ulck Du Lin, one of two in the race trained by Paul Nicholls.

Always held in high regard by the Ditcheat handler, the six-year-old has been set some stiff tasks in the past but showed plenty last time out behind Wishful Thinking and has been shown some mercy by the handicapper, set to run off 133 here after kicking off the season running from 146.

The veterans will be plying their trade in the extended three-and-a-quarter-mile handicap chase for 10-year-olds and upwards at 2.40 and this will be a real grind in the ground which will suit Tullamore Dew.

The Nick Gifford charge has been desperately unlucky not to win a big prize during the last couple of years but was far from disgraced behind Restless Harry in a Listed handicap at Ascot last time out and is temptingly weighted here off a mark of 128.

Top weight and former Hennessy hero Carruthers looks sure to run his usual game race under his smart claimer, while mud lark Pete The Fete loves it around here and has solid claims.

The Grimthorpe Chase at Doncaster (3.30) will be run on vastly different ground and that should suit Court By Surprise.

Emma Lavelle's charge bounced back to form at Sandown last time out and is preferred to light weight Harry The Viking and former Welsh National hero Monbeg Dude.

On the sand at Lingfield, have a second look at well-handicapped veteran Mia's Boy (5.10) and Taajub (4.00).

The latter is on a double after hosing up last week and although this is a better race, the seven-year-old is still well in on his best form.