The frost denied the Nicky Richards-trained My Old Gold her chance of landing the £30,000 Houghton Chase at Carlisle’s abandoned meeting earlier in the month but the nine-year-old can find compensation in the Bet365 Handicap Chase at Doncaster this afternoon.

Described by her trainer as ‘a good honest mare who is consistent and never runs a bad race’, My Old Gold began her career in the point-to-point field and was already seven before making her debut under rules.

Last season, she scored at Wetherby and at Perth last April, when she earned valuable ‘Black Type’ in a Listed chase.

Reappearing in the Colin Parker Memorial Chase, the Greystoke mare was outpaced by Lostintranslation, but jumped soundly and stayed on to finish a respectable fourth. She will have benefited from the race and should be suited by the drying ground at Town Moor.

Brian Hughes is booked to ride and Richards reckons there will be no stamina problems, saying: “Two-and-a-half-miles is arguably her ideal trip but she stays well and won’t mind the extra distance.”

My Old Gold can complete a Doncaster double for Hughes as, earlier in the afternoon, the North’s leading jumps jockey is set to partner Windsor Avenue in the three-mile novices chase.

The Brian Ellison-trained gelding is two from two over fences. He proved too good for Knockoura on his chase debut at Sedgefield, but Maurice Barnes’ runner-up franked the form with a wide margin win next time out at Ayr, and Windsor Avenue himself went on to gain an impressive victory over a well-fancied Twiston-Davies novice chaser at Carlisle.

Cheltenham’s Saturday card is crammed full of quality but the most competitive event at Prestbury Park is the annual renewal of the Caspian Caviar Chase, won two seasons ago by Guitar Pete.

The experienced Greystoke performer finished third last time round and Richards has once again declared him at the five-day stage.

Hardly a week goes by without reference to the remarkable performances of past winners of Carlisle’s Colin Parker Memorial Chase.

Last Saturday, it was the turn of the 2017 winner Waiting Patiently to grab the headlines.

Ruth Jefferson’s star chaser did not actually win the Tingle Creek Chase, but his strong finishing and close-up third in this famous Grade One contest indicated that the issues of the past 18 months are behind him.

Assuming that he comes out of the race fit and unscathed, then outright success at this level is once more a real possibility.

The two miles of the Tingle Creek was palpably too short a trip for Waiting Patiently, but his jumping was quick and accurate and his acceleration from the final fence was eye-catching.

He could well have won the race within a further 20 strides and a similar display over two-and-a-half miles, or even three miles, can see him back in the winner’s enclosure.

The weather-forecasters are keen to keep those of us determined to enjoy Carlisle’s pre-Christmas meeting this Sunday on the edge of our seats. Not frost this time, but the threat of rain, or even snow.

Joking of course - Santa simply would not allow a second cancellation and Richards in particular will be keen to see the fixture going ahead.

The Greystoke trainer has a host of likely contenders entered at the five-day stage and could, on paper anyway, win the first three races on the card.

His Taking Flight will be a popular choice for the opener and Skiddaw Tara has an obvious chance in the three-mile maiden hurdle.

Owned by John Wills, she ran an encouraging third in a stronger race at Ayr and acts on soft ground.

Chapel Stile would arguably be the classiest of the Greystoke entries if his trainer opts to let him take his chance in the Class 3 novices chase.

The winner of his last three races over hurdles, he made a most pleasing debut over fences when a staying on third in Carlisle’s Graduation Chase having been sent off at odds of 22/1.

He will not start at that sort of a generous price tomorrow, but should win if standing his ground overnight.

The Richards monopoly can end in the valuable three-mile handicap hurdle in which Harriet Graham’s Aye Right is set to take on the locally owned money-spinner Justatenner.