Saturday updates: Sean Bowen backed to strike at Cheltenham and Delacroix challenges for Futurity Trophy favouritism

Sean Bowen's lead in the jump jockeys' championship has been whittled down but he will be hoping to add another valuable success to his tally with the well-backed Chasing Fire on the final day of the Showcase meeting. 

The Olly Murphy-trained seven-year-old has been backed into 6-1 (from 17-2) to land the 3m1f handicap hurdle (2.20) on day two of the Cheltenham fixture, where he could provide Bowen with a vital win in his hunt for the title after losing to Harry Cobden last year. 

Chasing Fire makes his seasonal debut off a career-high mark of 140 following a smart victory at Perth in April. He takes on 13 rivals headed by course-specialist Broadway Boy, who heads the market at 16-5. 

Bowen was unsuccessful in four rides at the track on Friday but Harry Skelton enjoyed a double with Calico and Valgrand and is now one behind Bowen in the championship race on 63 winners. 

Skelton's ride Le Milos is steady in the market at 11-1 but his runner in the concluding 2m½f bumper (4.40) Fortune De Mer has been a market mover, shortening into 4-1 (from 11-2) 

Conditions are good at Prestbury Park following a dry night, with a GoingStick reading of 6.6.

Futurity Trophy favourite Wimbledon Hawkeye on the drift - plus ground eases at Doncaster

Wimbledon Hawkeye has drifted in the market for the William Hill Futurity Trophy Stakes, with some bookmakers offering odds of 3-1 (from 2-1) for the Group 1 favourite on Saturday morning.

The James Owen-trained colt had been well fancied to strike in the Doncaster feature after landing the Royal Lodge last time out but is now challenged for favouritism by Delacroix, the ride of Ryan Moore, who has been backed into 3-1 (from 9-2). 

Royal Playwright, who finished behind Wimbledon Hawkeye in the Royal Lodge, has also been well backed to overturn the form at 8-1 (from 11) alongside Seaplane. 

The Futurity Trophy has been won by favourites for the last three years, including 2022 winner Auguste Rodin, and Wimbledon Hawkeye will aim to continue the trend under James Doyle. 

The contest is one of eight races on the card at Doncaster, where overnight rain has marginally eased conditions ahead of the final British Group 1 race of the season. 

Wimbledon Hawkeye: favourite has drifted on Saturday morningCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

The track maintained its soft going description from Friday's card but a GoingStick reading of 5.7 on Saturday morning showed softening ground after showers arrived yesterday evening. 

Clerk of the course David Attwood said: "We had 1.4 millimetres of rain overnight. There was a chance of it arriving at any point throughout the day yesterday, so we thought after racing we might have got away with it because it hadn't arrived, but it came later than expected. 

"We're still soft ground today and we've just eased slightly according to the GoingStick, but it's nothing too significant. We're expecting a dry and potentially bright day at times and the ground is actually in better shape than we thought, given we had 80 runners over it yesterday. 

"We're quite happy with it this morning, it might be a little on the softer side but nothing dramatic."

Market movers 

Cheltenham 

4.05 Bowtogreatness 6-1 (from 8), Theatre Man 15-8 (from 9-4)
4.40 Fortune De Mer 4-1 (from 11-2)

Doncaster

1.30 Fast Track Harry 5-1 (from 13-2),La Bellota 8-1 (from 10)
2.05 Aberama Gold 5-1 (from 11-2), Designer 9-1 (from 11)
2.40 Delacroix 3-1 (from 9-2), Royal Playwright 8-1 (from 11), Seaplane 8-1 (from 11)
3.50 Pellitory 9-2 (from 8)
4.25 Navagio 12-1 (from 25), Thunder Roar 4-1 (from 6)
5.00 Albeseeingyer 10-1 (from 18)
5.30 Boy Douglas 9-1 (from 14), Lowton 4-1 (from 10)

Updated at 10.15am

Non-runners

Cheltenham

1.10 Doughmore Bay (cast in box), Jazzy Matty (declared in error)
2.55 Cruz Control (going)

Doncaster

2.05 Vespasian (not eaten up), King Of Stars (going)
3.50 Mirabeau (running in first preference race)
4.25 Pearle D'Or (not eaten up), Kodi Lion (not eaten up)
5.00 Tennessee Gold (not eaten up)
5.30 Prairie Falcon (bad scope), Capote's Dream (not eaten up)

Read Saturday's previews:

1.10 Cheltenham: 'I'm excited to go novice chasing with him' - is there another Ginny's Destiny in this informative contest? 

2.05 Doncaster: 'He’s in great form at home' - analysis and key quotes for Doncaster's 5f handicap 

2.20 Cheltenham: 'He's firing on all cylinders' - key analysis and quotes for competitive handicap chase 

2.40 Doncaster: James Owen 'bloody excited' as Wimbledon Hawkeye takes on powerhouse stables in wide-open Futurity Trophy 

2.55 Cheltenham: 'He's turned inside out and his confidence is up' - which trainer fancies their chances in this Pertemps qualifier? 

3.30 Cheltenham: 'He'll be fine on that quicker ground' - can smart juvenile Bottler'secret defy an 8lb penalty? 

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