Some day he may be able to look back on this incident with mild amusement. That moment, though, will not be in 2003.McCoy’s chagrin in the previous race was caused by Timmy Murphy and Sir Frosty, who needed every bit of real estate in the 4m1f Miles Gosling Handicap Chase to get his head in front of Polar Champ. It was, in effect, a slog and it now seems Sir Frosty might be aimed at the greatest slog of them all at Aintree in April.”Provided the handicapper doesn’t crucify us and if I can persuade the owners, one has got to wonder whether we should actually go for the big one with him,” John Ryall, the trainer, said.Newcastle in doubt Prospects for the weekend appear marginally more hopeful as Haydock are optimistic Saturday’s meeting will go ahead. The clerk of the course, Kirkland Tellwright, said last night: “We’ve had 10mm of rain to nine o’clock this morning and a bit since then. There is more about but not enough, I think, to worry us.”The outlook for Newcastle on the same day is not so good and there will be an inspection tomorrow morning.

Saturday’s other jumps card at Sandown is also doubtful as the course is waterlogged in places and an inspection is planned for 3pm today.Tomorrow’s meeting at Hexham was called off yesterday, but there are no problems at Ludlow or Wolverhampton.. Phil Taylor, the 10-time world champion, advanced to the quarter-finals of the PDC World Championship at Purfleet’s Circus Tavern last night after ending the brave challenge of Wayne Mardle who fell to a 5-3 defeat. But Taylor’s experience soon told and he took the next three legs, closing with a 12-dart finish for an average of 105.Taylor’s average dropped in the next set, but he kept hitting the doubles and won all three legs. Mardle fought back and hit a double top to edge the third set three legs to two. Taylor clinched the next set by the same margin but Mardle, whose confidence was growing all the time, again reduced the deficit.The first four legs of the sixth set were shared before Mardle hit the double one to draw level in the match.

But Taylor won the next set before opening up a 2-1 lead ­ including a 114 finish ­ in the eighth. The Stoke thrower was on a roll and finished with double 18 before punching the air.Taylor has set up a quarter-final tie with Dennis Smith who became the first man to book his place in the last eight with an impressive 5-1 win over Denis Ovens.After a delay because of a technical problem, the players shared the first four legs of a hard-fought opening set. Ovens looked favourite to edge the fifth leg and take the set but he missed a shot at double 16 and Smith took advantage to move ahead. However, the Stevenage thrower responded with a successful attempt at double 16 to take the second set by three legs to one.Smith showed coolness under pressure to edge the third set, and the confidence looked to be flowing when he nailed his first attempt at double eight at the start of the next. Ovens won the second leg, but he started to miss a few shots at crucial times and Smith went on to claim another five-leg set.Smith also reeled off the fifth set impressively to move within one of victory. Ovens fought back in the sixth though and the set again went to a deciding leg, but it was Smith who prevailed.Alan Warriner lived up to his “Ice Man” nickname as he fought back against Les Fitton to clinch his place in the quarter-finals.