VICTORY for Historg (3.10) at Wetherby is by no means a forlorn hope provided he doesn't suffer a reccurrence of his old injury problems.

Ferdy Murphy's one-time Cheltenham Gold Cup contender had been sidelined for 604 days prior to his recent comeback at Haydock, where he was far from disgraced when finishing third.

Sadly this type of long break from action comes with the territory for staying chasers, nearly always due to the wear and tear of having to jump fences at a ferocious clip throughout their National Hunt careers.

On the plus side, many such setbacks can often be cured by long periods of rest, and judged on the decent form Historg demonstrated a couple of years ago, he could start to make up for lost time by taking today's Flying Fish Handicap Chase over three miles.

Murphy might also be in the money earlier if both Union Deux (12.25) and Tribal Venture (12.55) win their respective events.

Union Deux can complete a hat-trick in the opening Fox And Hounds Conditional Handicap Hurdle following a battling track and trip success in October, supplemented by a facile four-length Uttoxeter triumph at the beginning of this month.

Just like Historg, Tribal Venture returns from a 21-month spell spent out at grass, recuperating from a setback sustained not long after being heroically placed at the 2002 Cheltenham Festival.

Supporters of Tribal Venture will have to take his fitness on trust, but he realistically only has Get My Drift to beat in the Harry Atkinson Memorial Beginners' Chase. If he does make a successful transition from hurdles to fences, the £8,000 affair might well be at his mercy.

Favourite backers went away with burnt fingers after Aleron (2.35) was turned over on his debut by the 12-1 shot, Karathaena, at Market Rasen

John Quinn's mud-loving four-year-old failed by a neck to justify his position at the head of the betting market on that occasion, a minor blip which he may easily rectify in the two-mile Grouse Moor Novices Hurdle.

Henry Daly's young chasers generally pay their way and Lingfield raider, Lough Dante (1.15), shouldn't be an exception to the rule.

Lough Dante, placed on all three outings over timber last season, has always shaped as if he would be far better over the bigger obstacles.

The theory is backed up by the fact that Daly by-passes the novices' route and goes straight to handicapping in the Crown Wall Chase.

Increasing weight forced Keith Dalgleish to pack up riding on the flat this summer.

But instead of giving up the game altogether the young Scot is trying his luck with a jump jockeys' licence.

Admittedly Keith is utilising the softly-softly approach by first chancing his arm in a bumper race, but it will be a valuable experience and the vibes from the Middleham gallops for his mount, Hopeful Mission (3.30), have been fairly encouraging.

At Chepstow the predicted heavy ground will likely play to the strengths of Kiwi Babe (2.45) in the KPMG Handicap Hurdle.

The Paul Nicholls-trained mare simply would not be denied when fending off the persistent challenge of Magaline at Folkestone last week. Such courage and determination was above and beyond the call of duty, so it makes the decision to install her as the selection for the three-mile contest a mere formality.