RISING star-of-the-saddle Peter Buchanan heads to Haydock this afternoon with every chance of adding to his seasonal tally aboard Kerry Lads (1.40).

Peter, who gave Tuesday's nap, Strong Resolve, such a terrific ride when finishing runner-up in the Welsh National, has already booted home 26 winners during the current National Hunt campaign.

The majority of the successes have been supplied by his boss, Lucinda Russell, who has cleverly switched Kerry Lads back to hurdles to take advantage of his favourable handicap mark over the smaller obstacles.

Kerry Lads is far better known as a chaser nowadays, an arena in which his rating is 116.

However, he's able to participate in the Rectangle Handicap Hurdle off 109, a significant differential that could help him lift the £5,000 race.

There's an excellent tussle in prospect for the top contest on the card, The Last Fling Handicap Chase, run in memory of a horse with a tremendous record at the track.

The heavy ground is sure to play an important part in the outcome of the three-mile event, fancied to fall to confirmed mud-lark, The Villager (2.10).

Although Michael Scudamore's gelding got no further than the first fence on his latest start, he had previously shown his turn was near by filling second spot behind Classic Native, a more-than-useful stayer trained by Jonjo O'Neill.

Tom George's recruit from the point-to-point field, Garryvoe (3.10), made a most encouraging Rules debut when scoring with ease in a maiden chase at Leicester this month.

On the evidence of that effort Garryvoe has a serious future over fences, especially as he is only six years of age.

Admittedly he takes a sizeable step up in grade for the Draper Novices' Chase, but his trainer is not the type of guy to over-face his horses, therefore it's fairly safe to assume Garryvoe has been working upsides some of stable's more established stars.

Martin Pipe is a hard man to beat at his local track, Taunton, which must bode well for Bongo Fury (2.30) in the Steve Logan Memorial Handicap Hurdle.

Two years ago Bongo Fury was a pretty smart cookie, unfortunately injury has kept him on the sidelines for much of the time since then.

Recently there have been signs of a revival from the selection, who was far from disgraced when fifth in a much hotter race at Cheltenham three weeks ago.

On a point of handicapping, Mr Bountiful (12.20) has plenty of plus points in the seven-furlong opener at Lingfield.

A year past last November Mr Bountiful won over course and distance off 55 and then, having been shoved up to 61, he was touched off by a short-head in a similar standard event.

The Michael Dods-trained long-distance raider has now slipped down to 53, and given that he has an excellent draw in stall five, should by rights give his rivals a good deal to think about.

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