Kendal Cavalier takes the next step on the path towards the Grand National when he runs at Newcastle tomorrow.

The Hampshire-trained ten-year-old, who revels in heavy ground, will be using the marathon Tote Northern National Chase - run over four miles plus - as his stepping stone for his major target of the campaign at Aintree on Saturday, April 8.

Kendal Cavalier already has one 'National' to his credit when he won the Welsh equivalent at Chepstow in December, 1998. The dyed-in-the-wool stayer had ironically been in Nigel Hawke's Devon yard for a few days at the time. But his form deteriorated sharply afterwards and, in last summer, he returned to Toby Balding's yard at Fyfield, near Andover.

This season he has failed to trouble the judge, with seemingly disappointing performances at Cheltenham and later in the 1999 Welsh National.

However, Jonathan Geake, Balding's assistant, says the grey has never had conditions in his favour but finally the ground will be to his liking this weekend.

"He's not had the soft ground he needs. He's been steadily climbing the handicap and it's difficult to win races with him. Tomorrow he should at last have the ground he wants and that also should be the case at Aintree which has always been his target.

"He was going well last year when he was badly baulked at Becher's second time round. He made a bad mistake on the far side in the Welsh National at Chepstow. His races haven't been long enough, so they tend to quicken away from him but he's the one who's staying on.''

With usual jockey Barry Fenton still injured, the gelding is due to be partnered by 5lb claimer Barry Keniry who rides him at home.

Champion jockey Tony McCoy, once attached to Balding's yard, started today on 199 winners for the season and had five rides at Sandown in his quest to score the fastest 200 in a campaign.

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