Return to the hurdles should do the trick

Jonny Portman's ten-year-old tried the bigger obstacles on his last couple of starts, but he never appeared to jump with any fluency, so much so that after several mistakes the gelding was pulled up at Warwick last time out.

Portman has sensibly decided not to persevere with his charge in the chase arena, a switch that might well bring about a dramatic change of fortune for Emphatic, who showed a liking for the track by scoring over course and distance in December 2003.

Tony McCoy's booking for Duchamp (3.10) should ensure backers of the Andrew Balding-trained raider get a good run for their money.

Duchamp had been sidelined through injury for 13 months prior to his promising comeback when filling the runner-up berth behind Great Travel at Newbury in November.

Lack of peak fitness was undoubtedly a major contributor to that defeat, however he'll be plenty sharper for the Joe Dinham Memorial Handicap Chase, a race in which he may have most to fear from the ultra-consistent, Dun An Doras.

Although Lingfield-bound Cordial (2.30) has taken his time to hit top gear this winter, he came good when battling on with tremendous resolution to deny Kew Green at the course in January.

Sir Mark Prescott has now opted to step Cordial up in trip to a mile-and-a-half, a tactical ploy likely to result in a second successive win for Jamie Mackay's mount in the £10,000 littlewoodspools.co.uk Handicap

Even though True To Yourself (2.50) was easily brushed by Come What July on his most recent visit to Southwell, trainer James Given will be hopeful the four-year-old can make amends by claiming the Play Gameon Banded Stakes back at the all-weather Midlands venue.

True To Yourself is far from being the fastest racehorse in the world.

But on the plus side he's an honest individual, capable of raising his game when asked for maximum effort once the winning post comes into view.

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