Trainer Mark Pitman is still waiting to find out the extent of the injury suffered by Ashley Park at Kempton on Wednesday.

The injury-prone hurdler was found to be lame after being beaten a head by Geos in the Pertemps Christmas Hurdle.

The six-year-old, who had been second favourite behind Istabraq for the Smurfit Champion Hurdle, had previously had problems with his near-fore but on this occasion it was the off-fore fetlock which was injured.

Pitman said today: "There's not much more to say.

"He spent the night at the vets and had a comfortable night.

"He is as well as you could expect but it is a new problem and we just don't know the extent of it."

NEW RACE AT KEMPTON Kempton Park will stage a new £50,000 two-year-old race attached to the Doncaster Breeze-Up Sales, Doncaster Bloodstock Sales Ltd announced today.

The six-furlong event, to be run on September 8, will be open to all juveniles sold "under the hammer" at the sales which will be held at Doncaster on April 2-3.

Like the £200,000 St Leger Yearling Stakes, which takes place at Town Moor in September, the DBS Breeze-Up Stakes will offer prize money down to 10th place.

DBS managing director Henry Beeby said: "The DBS Breeze-Up Stakes will only add to the attraction of the sale and is another DBS initiative that offers the commercial buyer a very real chance of a big pay day with a DBS graduate."

POULTON SUFFERS A SETBACK Jamie Poulton has suffered a major setback with the sidelining of his useful long distance hurdler Male Ana Mou.

The Lewes trainer said: "He tweaked a tendon when winning a Newbury recently and will have to miss the rest of the season. He was never lame, but it is not worth taking a chance.

Luckily the owners are being most philosophical about it."

GIFFORD CONFIDENT IN GRAND NATIONAL Findon trainer Josh Gifford, with two Martell Grand National candidates, is upbeat about both horses although neither looked like winning this week.

Glitter Isle ran well for a long way in the three-and-a-quarter mile Stalbridge Gold Cup at Wincanton on Boxing Day.

Brave Highlander was fourth to Eau de Cologne at Kempton Park on Wednesday.

Gifford said: "Glitter Isle missed all of last season and this was only his third run back. He was still in front two fences from home and will certainly improve on that."

Brave Highlander was prominent until the last half-mile at Kempton Park.

Gifford said: "The further he went the better he jumped and I will hope to find a little race for him, or maybe two, before Aintree. Certainly I will avoid Cheltenham with him and it would be good for both horses to win a race to boost their morale before they go to Liverpool."

GROUND WORKS AGAINST MONTROE Storrington trainer Richard Rowe admitted the going was not ideal for Montroe who was well beaten in the Coral Welsh National at Chepstow, although he too ran well for a long way.

Rowe said: "The going sapped his stamina. Perhaps we should have waited for Cheltenham this weekend, but at this time of year you have to run when you can."

Montroe will have a maximum of two races before the Martell Grand National and will not run again anyway until February.

Rowe hopes to win the Sussex National for the second time with Mullintor tomorrow. The race is at Fontwell once again and, following a prep run over hurdles three weeks ago, the trainer is hopeful of a repeat success with Barry Fenton in the saddle.