ALL SONSILVER will be the toast of Tyneside if he can win the feature race at Newcastle today, the £10,000 Guinness Handicap Chase.

Trainer Martin Todhunter has already bagged two nice prizes at the course this season with his progressive seven-year-old, who put in a rare below-par performance last time out when finishing a well-beaten third despite being heavily backed.

Maybe it was a case of trainer error because Todhunter decided to switch All Sonsilver back in distance to two-and-half-miles, a good four furlongs short of his optimum distance.

If that does turn out to be the case, there will no excuses now for All Sonsilver (3.35) since this afternoon's contest over three miles, on a very testing surface, is bound to put the emphasis very much on stamina.

Being a jump jockey is a perilous occupation at the best of times, especially when climbing aboard the likes of Florries Son, not the safest of conveyances judged on his recent record.

In the plus column, Florries Son (4.45) has won two of his last five starts. However, on the debit side, he's matched that total with a brace of ugly falls. Richard McGrath is the man entrusted with keeping the partnership intact which, if he accomplishes it successfully, could well ensure victory in the £8,500 Novices' Handicap Chase.

The EBF Novices' Handicap Hurdle Final at Sandown contains stacks of potential championship material including El Vaquero (1.35), a fast-improving son of leading jumps' sire, Un Desparado.

After picking up his bumper with a quite sensational burst of acceleration at Huntingdon last season, El Vaquero has taken an age to get his act together over hurdles.

He was a little green behind the ears to begin with, nevertheless the penny seems to have finally dropped considering his most recent narrow defeat at the hands of Gods Token, which was nothing short of a superb effort seeing as the pair drew 12 lengths clear of their rivals.

On the all-weather at Wolverhampton, several classy Flat horses limber up in anticipation of forthcoming turf season by taking part in the £35,000 Littlewoods-sponsored Lincoln Trial.

The 2003 Ayr Gold Cup hero, Quito, shoulders top-weight in the extended one-mile affair, which has also attracted last year's winner Te Quiero, trained by the Queen of the sand, Gay Kelleway.

Given that Quito is best over six furlongs, preference goes to Te Quiero (3.00), who stormed back to something approaching his peak when narrowly touched off by the classy Consonant over track and trip last time out.

With both Victory Quest and Sun Hill bidding to complete their respective three-timers, something has to give in the two-mile New Site Handicap.

Of the pair, Victory Quest (3.30) has been operating in a far higher grade, which, combined with trainer Sue Lamyman's wizardry when it comes to producing useful staying Flat handicappers, should give her entry the edge in a tight contest.

Major Drive looks the pick of a weak field for the Yeomanry Cup Handicap Hurdle at Ayr.

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