First Gold and Marlborough, denied their clash in the Cheltenham Gold Cup when the all-important National Hunt Festival was scuppered by the foot and mouth epidemic, are set for a memorable duel at Sandown tomorrow.

The £100,000 Tote Gold Trophy Chase, dubbed the replacement Gold Cup, stages the fascinating head-to-head between the multi-talented pair.

First Gold gets my vote largely on the strength of two stunning displays, his brilliant victory in the King George VI Chase at Kempton's Christmas meeting and, much more recently, at Aintree three weeks ago in the Martell Chase.

His latest triumph, achieved by ten lengths from Lord Noelie, stamped him as a horse of the highest calibre and erased doubts about his previous defeat at Newbury when he was considered by trainer Francois Doumen to be short of peak fitness.

Marlborough, impressive winner of both his races this season, has developed into a top-flight chaser and the chances are we have yet to see the best of him.

Trainer Nicky Henderson has chosen this Grade 1 race in preference to Saturday's Whitbread Gold Cup for Marlborough, whom he holds in the highest regard.

Success over First Gold tomorrow would be a sizeable feather in Marlborough's hat, but, formidable a rival as he promises to be, I expect to see the brilliant French raider coming out on top in a not-to-be-missed encounter.

First Gold faces six rivals tomorrow. Francois Doumen's charge is reported to have come out of his clear-cut success in Aintree's Martell Cup earlier this month in good heart and makes the trip back across the English Channel along with three stablemates.

The trainer's son Thierry will ride the eight-year-old a day after celebrating his 22nd birthday.

Marlborough owner Robert Ogden's racing manager Barry Simpson said: "Marlborough is in excellent shape and we are looking forward to seeing just how good he is.

"It's difficult to say how he would have done in the Whitbread but with his big weight in soft ground it might have been asking a lot of him."

Kingsmark will represent Ogden in the Whitbread, and he might be joined by the owner's Ad Hoc.

Channel 4 are televising five races from tomorrow's top-class Sandown meeting.

The Doumen stable have another great chance with Baracouda in the £65,000 Bonusprint Distance Championship Hurdle.

The novice has gone from strength to strength this season and was highly impressive on his latest victory at Auteuil.

Bachannal, a stablemate of Marlborough, returns to hurdling after a first-fence fall over fences at Aintree and commands plenty of respect.

But, once again, the French flag is expected to be be flown at full mast.

The Sandown card hosts a thrilling mix of both codes, with two Group races on the Flat complementing the jumping action.

Right Wing, successful at Doncaster and Newmarket this season, looks the answer to the £60,000 Masai Mile.

John Dunlop's old character is in the form of his life at present and, in Pat Eddery, he has a jockey, who can get the very out of him by producing him late and fast.

Dunlop and Eddery, both in imperious form, can also land the £40,000 Heathorns Bookmakers Gordon Richards Stakes with Pawn Broker.

Trained last season by David Elsworth, for whom he finished second in the Dante Stakes on Knavesmire, Pawn Broker was narrowly beaten by Border Arrow at Kempton last week on his first outing for Dunlop.

On marginally better terms, Pawn Broker is napped to have the edge over his conqueror tomorrow.

Tomorrow's tips:

Sandown

1.35 - Crocadee

2.05 - Baracouda

2.40 - First Gold

3.10 - Right Wing

3.45 - Pawn Broker (Nap)

4.15 - La Speziana

4.45 - Kyllachy

5.15 - Double Crossed

Wincanton

1.55 - Master Ride

2.25 - Sparkling Lass

3.00 - Satshoon

3.30 - Avalon Buck

4.05 - Sirmoor Rifles

4.35 - Murray's Million

5.05 - Lord North

5.35 - Cinnamon Line

Updated: 12:50 Thursday, April 26, 2001