OVERNIGHT frost threatens to claim Sedgefield's meeting, but if the card does get the green light following this morning's 7.30 inspection it may well open the door for Celioso (1.50) to continue his love affair with the track.

Sue Smith's consistent gelding has won on both of his last two visits to the course, including last time out in a two-mile-five-furlong novices' chase when dishing out an 18-length drubbing to Ferdy Murphy's Urban Hymn.

In what amounts to a quite dramatic change of tactics, Sue has now opted to switch Celioso to the smaller obstacles, plus step him up another three-quarters-of-a-mile for the marathon Saltwell Signs Handicap Hurdle.

From a betting point of view tampering so extensively with an individual's normal modus operandi is not to be taken lightly, but the selection is an extremely versatile customer and close analysis also reveals Celisio to be far better in at the weights over hurdles compared to fences.

Half-an-hour earlier, in The Northern Echo Maiden Chase, Howard Johnson's Farlington (1.20) makes stacks of appeal

Like so many decent staying chasers, Johnson's charge started life between the flags, scoring in point to point company this spring. Competing against professionally trained horses represents a far stiffer task, not that you would have known with Farlington, who so nearly made a successful debut under rules when beaten a neck at the course in mid-November.

Thoroughbreds come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, a point ably illustrated by the diminutive Stone Cold, who at first glance would seem more suited to pony club adventures rather than tackling 4ft 6in steeplechase fences.

In fact, nothing could be further from the truth because the spring-heeled son of Inchinor regularly puts his far bigger rivals to shame with a series of prodigious leaps. I'm hoping this will again be the case in the Inglis Flute Holiday Accommodation Agency Handicap Chase, a contest well within the remit of Stone Cold considering he has hardly put a foot wrong on any of his last three starts.

Most of the interest at Fontwell surrounds one of their most valuable events of the year, the £15,000 Salmon Spray Hurdle.

Brighton handler Gary Moore does not have far to travel in order to launch his challenge via Going Global (2.10) and Barcelona (2.10). I marginally prefer the former, a very useful performer on the level for the now Hong Kong-based Sean Woods on the level in 2001.

Moore's six-year-old has taken a while to get his eye in over hurdles, but judged on a recent second placing in a hot handicap at Ascot his time has finally come to assert in the rougher and tougher National Hunt arena.

The man-made surface at Southwell was riding pretty much on the slow side yesterday, which theoretically should favour Quito (2.30) in the Littlewoods Bet Direct Handicap.

Quito already holds a special place in David's heart, having earlier this year fulfilled one of his lifetime ambitions by bagging the Ayr Gold Cup. As the flat season came to a close I belatedly congratulated Chapman, who smiled affably and replied, "You know, I think the best is yet to come." That'll do for me!

* Betfred, the telephone and internet betting arm of Done bookmakers, are the new sponsors of Sandown's April Gold Cup meeting, which includes the former Whitbread Gold Cup.

The independent firm are to back ten races at the two-day fixture in a three-year deal, including the £150,000 Betfred Gold Cup, made famous as the Whitbread and latterly know as the attheraces Gold Cup.

The Whitbread was first run in 1957 and was the forerunner of all modern-day sponsorships. The valuable staying chase is established as the centrepiece of the last day of the jumps season.

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