THIS year's Grand National winner, Amberleigh House (4.30), is well worth an each-way bet in the Jmc.It Handicap Hurdle at Haydock.

Ginger McCain's stable star will once again be heading back to Aintree in April 2005, but in the meantime there is plenty more prize-money to be picked up, albeit at a much lower level.

McCain chose the same race to re-introduce Amberleigh House 12 months ago and he did not let his backers down, filling third spot. The gallant 12-year-old, as usual partnered by Ingleby Barwick-based jockey Graham Lee, is running off virtually the same handicap mark of 110, so should give a similar account, especially as his chase rating is now over 140!

George Moore generally does well at the track, which is a hint in itself for the Middleham handler's entry in the last, Beamish Prince (5.00).

Beamish Prince is a blue-blooded individual by the St James' Palace scorer Bijou D'Inde out of a really useful mare, Unconditional Love. Sadly, the five-year-old hasn't lived up to that lofty pedigree, though judged on his recent short-head defeat at Sedgefield, he must have a great chance of going one better today.

Punters seeking to get in the money at Brighton could do worse than steam into Kingscross (3.50).

Michael Blanchard's sprinter has been desperately unlucky not to get his head in front so far this season, notably when denied a clear run on his penultimate outing at Salisbury.

The villain on that occasion was not horse but rider, Kieren Fallon, who, after biding his time, couldn't find his way through the pack in time to catch the leaders.

It hasn't been a happy year for Fallon, being arrested for alleged involvement in corruption and having to play second fiddle to Frankie Dettori in the jockey's championship.

Nevertheless he's the type of guy who will be ultra-keen to make amends for the Salisbury debacle and I think the strong-arm Irishman will give Kingscross a far better tactical ride in the six-furlong Weatherbys Bank Handicap.

In the earlier seven-furlong Nursery, Hits Only Cash (2.50) has the classic profile of a two-year-old with bags of scope for further improvement.

Although Paul Blockley's juvenile has already shown glimpses of ability on all four of his starts to date, there has always been the thought lurking in the back of the mind that the gelding would progress even further once tried in handicap company.

It would be crazy to put such a case without some evidence, therefore form students should refer to the run of Hits Only Cash at Ayr in September, where he finished fifth to Ingleton.

It looked like a pretty decent heat at the time, an assertion that has been well and truly proven by the fact that Ingleton has since completed an impressive hat-trick, topping up his winnings in valuable contests at both York and Newmarket.

* Brighton's officials are holding a precautionary inspection at 7.30am this morning as the course is in danger of becoming waterlogged.

* Dual Christmas Hurdle winner Intersky Falcon will miss his intended seasonal debut in the RHT 40th Anniversary Hurdle at Kempton Park on Saturday.

Trainer Jonjo O'Neill admitted yesterday: ''He won't run, because he worked a bit flat today.

"I don't know why, but he's not worked like the horse we know he can be."

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