LiveScore Racing News: Dashel Drasher camp hoping for rain

Connections of Dashel Drasher are hoping for rain on Saturday as he prepares to race in the Racing Post Gold Cup at Cheltenham.

The eight-year-old made his seasonal appearance a couple of weeks ago at Ascot in the 1965 Chase when finishing third, some 16 lengths behind winner Lostintranslation.

Jeremy Scott's charge came through the race unscathed and Dashel Drasher is now hoping to defy top weight in this weekend's valuable handicap chase.

Plenty is expected of the son of Passing Glance after he was victorious at Grade One level in February when winning the Ascot Chase, finishing two lengths clear of Master Tommytucker.

That was his third successive win at the Berkshire course and now attention will turn to Cheltenham on Saturday.

Scott says the Gold Cup is the plan providing the ground is soft enough for his charge.

He said: "If we get enough rain and the ground is good to soft or soft, I think the owners will be quite keen to run as it ties in possibly with the Silviniaco Conti Chase [at Kempton] later on in January.

"It gives a nice time gap, but we'll very much see what the weather does. He seems to have come out of his race really well. All's good."

A field of 21 horses remain at the five-day confirmation stage with Lalor the current ante-post favourite.

The nine-year-old, who is trained by Paul Nicholls, heads the market on the back of a third-place finish in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Prestbury Park behind Midnight Shadow.

Midnight Shadow himself is also in the running with the Sue Smith-trained gelding looking to make it back-to-back wins.

Alnadam is one of four entries for Dan Skelton and the eight-year-old will be looking to get back to winning ways after taking two wins at Sandown last season.

Nicky Henderson's Fusil Raffles will also be in the hunt as he looks to win successive races after crossing the line first on the Grade Two Charlie Hall Chase in October.