Let's be Avenue! Ellison star set for titanic Doncaster clash with Sam Spinner

Exciting prospect Windsor Avenue is set to take on fellow unbeaten chaser Sam Spinner in a clash of two of the north's most promising novices at Doncaster on Saturday.

Brian Ellison has made no secret of how talented he believes seven-year-old Windsor Avenue is, and his his two starts over fences at Sedgefield and Carlisle, which he won by a combined total of 33 lengths under Brian Hughes, were impressive to say the least.

They came over trips around two and a half miles, but Ellison is set to step him up in trip for the bet365-sponsored novices' chase where he will meet strong stayer Sam Spinner.

bet365 December Novices' Chase card and betting

Windsor Avenue has an alternative option at Cheltenham but his trainer said: "He goes to Doncaster. He schooled this morning and he was electric.

"Sam Spinner is the only horse rated higher than him – he's a good horse and an out-and-out stayer. We'll find out about the trip for our horse on Saturday. You don't know until you try but Brian [Hughes] thinks he'll stay.

"I've always rated him highly and think he is one of the best we've had. He's a good horse and he seems to have improved. His form has worked out, the second and third at Sedgefield have won since."

Windsor Avenue is a best-priced 33-1 for the RSA Chase but is far from certain to go to Cheltenham.

"We'll take it race-by-race and I don't know if Cheltenham is on the agenda or not," Ellison said. "It's not the be-all and end-all and it wouldn't worry me if he didn't go there."

Stablemate Definitly Red remains on course for the Randox Health Grand National after his fourth place in last Saturday's Becher Chase.

"I was over the moon with his run at Aintree," Ellison said. "He jumped like a buck and was staying on. He could have been third but he just got squeezed out at the turn and lost a few places.

"He might just have one more run before the National, but we'll probably wait until the weights come out."

Look back on a record-breaking year with the Racing Post Annual 2020, the perfect gift for every racing fan. Bigger and better and only £12.99, this year's 224-page book features all the best stories from a brilliant racing year. Order your copy here