IMPROVING Royal Beluga (2.45) rates a regal bet in the top-of-the-bill clash with Divet Hill for Newcastle's £10,000 Northumberland Chase.

Sponsored by Nitex Computer Fairs, Royal Beluga must overcome last season's hero of Aintree's Foxhunters Chase if he is to prevail in the fascinating two-and-a-half-mile encounter.

On the strength of Divet Hill's high-profile Liverpool success, he's sure to attract significant Tyneside cash, however my money will be on Royal Beluga, who jumped like a bunny rabbit when hacking up at Doncaster last Saturday.

Tactics already seem set in stone since Divet Hill loves to bowl along in front, while Royal Beluga prefers to bide his time from off the pace. Such cat and mouse affairs generally provide excellent entertainment, especially as jockey Jason Maguire will have to be careful not to make his move too soon.

Should Maguire have a rush of blood and storm to the front prior to negotiating the final three fences in the home straight, he might find himself outstayed in closing stages by Divet Hill - not the sort to give in without a monumental scrap.

Back at one of his favourite "gaffs", Haystacks (2.10) could be the one to side with in the other main feature, the three-mile Ekbalco Handicap Hurdle.

The Jimmy Moffat-trained seven-year-old has already won at the course on the flat, a victory he supplemented recently over hurdles at Catterick in November when pulling five lengths clear under a strong drive from Jim Crowley.

Locally based big-spending owner, Graham Wylie, shelled out a whopping 150,000 guineas for Inching Closer (1.05), who barring accidents should theoretically win the James Fletcher Novices' Chase in a common canter.

One of the golden rules of successful punting is to never back odds-on shots in such races. Therefore despite Wylie's new purchase having won for previous handler Jonjo O'Neill at this year's Cheltenham Festival, my advice is to maintain a watching brief, rather than invest and possibly regret later.

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