Lancelot to claim Chelmsford gold for trainer Ivory

LANCELOT DU LAC can get back to winning ways on an all-weather surface at Chelmsford on Thursday after coming unstuck on rain-softened turf at Doncaster.

Dean Ivory’s evergreen sprinter could not quicken up in his usual manner in last month’s Cammidge Trophy, although he was not disgraced in finishing fourth behind Perfect Pastures.

Having won earlier in March at Wolverhampton, Lancelot Du Lac is clearly in good form and can lift the Betsi Conditions Stakes for which he is top-rated.

Robert Cowell had Raucous in that race but has declared him instead for the Santander Consumer Handicap over the same six-furlong trip.

The five-year-old shaped well when fifth at Kempton on his first start since leaving the William Haggas stable and sprint king Cowell can work his magic on the son of Dream Ahead.

Both Alfa McGuire’s victories as a two-year-old came at Beverley and the Bryan Smart-trained colt can continue the trend when he makes his seasonal debut at the East Yorkshire track in the Alan McGuiness And Robin Lunness Memorial Handicap.

This Class Three event is a big drop from the Group One Racing Post Trophy he contested on his final start last term when he was 10th of 12 behind Saxon Warrior. This is a more realistic assignment.

Dark Devil cut no ice in the consolation race for the Lincoln at Doncaster last month but the ROA/Racing Post Owners Jackpot Handicap will be more up his street.

Richard Fahey’s grey is in a grade in which he was last successful at Chester in September.

Mixboy can give connections a boost ahead of a possible tilt at the Chester Cup with a victory in a different discipline in the Making Memories Handicap Chase at Perth.

The Keith Dalgleish-trained eightyear-old has had two spins on the Flat since winning over the bigger obstacles at Musselburgh in January and should have the speed to burn off the opposition.

Identity Thief looked to have found his niche when stepped up to three miles last time at Aintree where he disposed of Wholestone by five lengths.

Henry de Bromhead’s charge can follow up in the Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival.

Footpad missed Aintree after an unsatisfactory scope, but all must be well again with the impressive Arkle Trophy winner and he can strut his stuff for Willie Mullins in the Ryanair Novice Chase. IT IS 15 years since Mark Williams last won the Betfred World Snooker Championship but the Welshman insists he has a major chance of breaking that streak after reaching the second round.

The 43-year-old will need to win four more matches if he is to win a third world crown but he looked in great shape against Jimmy Robertson, when he eased to a 10-5 victory.

Since he last ruled the Crucible Theatre, Williams has won just five ranking event titles, but two of those have come this season – fuelling the belief that he could add to his successes in 2000 and 2003.

And the Ebbw Vale potter looked in total control against Robertson, where he turned a 7-2 overnight advantage into a routine win to book a second-round match with either Neil Robertson or Robert Milkins.

“I am coming here playing the best stuff I have played in many years, whether I can win it who knows,” he said.

“I definitely have as good a chance as anyone in the tournament.

“I think I played quite well, the damage was done in the first session really.

“It might be first to ten, but the first frame was massive to be honest, I cleared up and won it on the black.

“He came under some pressure because he should have won the first two and that put him under some pressure.

“I hit two or three centuries in that match, but I had luck too.”

There is no denying fortune was on his side, with Williams producing perhaps the biggest fluke in Crucible history on Tuesday.

Snookered behind the blue and stuck on the left cushion, Williams’ seemed to be an impossible position but he managed to fire the white off the top cushion and knock in the green – all while looking the other way.

“It was the biggest fluke you will ever see in your life, there was nothing good about that it was a complete fluke,” he said.

“I was not even looking at it, I just wanted to get out of the position I was in. When I saw it go in I could not believe it. It was the biggest fluke I have ever seen.

“I thought I can either hit it first time or I could have been there for eight or nine shots – that’s why I did not look at it.

“I just hit it and hoped for the best. I was smack in line with it and I turned to apologise but he was absolutely fuming.

Watch the snooker World Championship LIVE on Eurosport and Eurosport Player with Colin Murray and analysis from Ronnie O’Sullivan, Jimmy White and Neal Foulds.