Sue Smith, who boasts an impressive 25 per cent strike rate with her chasers this season, looks to have solid claims of landing the valuable Tote Placepot Champion Chase over three miles and one furlong with Cill Churnain at Kelso this afternoon.

The ten-year-old didn't get off the mark until his 16th attempt in March last year but he's never looked back and has since won a further seven races over hurdles or fences.

The ultra-consistent gelding turned in his best effort to date over two miles four furlongs at Aintree on his penultimate start when beating subsequent winner Log On Intersky in a race that worked out well.

Although beaten over hurdles last time, that was from a much higher mark over the smaller obstacles. He's definitely of interest from this 13lb lower chase mark in a race where there are question marks about most of his rivals.

Mrs Smith's exciting prospect Royal Emperor won't be a working man's price but can initiate a double for the in-form trainer by taking the Celidh Boy Beginners Chase over two miles and six furlongs.

Peter Monteith is always a trainer to respect in the North and his Moscow Dancer appeals as a likely type for the Kevin Oliver Property & Business Amateur Riders Handicap Hurdle over two miles and two furlongs.

Having undergone two wind operations, the lightly-raced six-year-old turned in an improved display when winning easily over this course and distance on his first run after a break.

The runner-up, Joint Authority, has since won over fences and, as that was his first start for Monteith, he's almost certainly capable of better and is taken to defy a 10lb rise in the weights.

At Wolverhampton Nick Littmoden's Trinculo makes plenty of appeal in division two of the Littlewoods Bet Direct Showcase Handicap over six furlongs.

This fair sort had slipped in the weights but made a most promising start to his all-weather career when winning bravely over five furlongs at Southwell in a relatively fast time on his most recent start.

The return to this longer trip will in no way be an inconvenience and his up-with-the-pace style will be very well suited to the way this course has been riding.

Littmoden can also be on the mark with Kingston Town, who steps up markedly in distance after his mile win at Southwell last week, in the opening amateur riders classified stakes over a mile and seven.

However, given his pedigree and the way he stuck on at Southwell last week there's plenty of cause for optimism to think that he'll stay this trip and he's one of the few in this field open to any improvement.

Tony Culhane, who reached his 100 for the first time at Southwell recently, can be on the mark with Ambersong in the Bet Direct In Running Sky Text Page 293 Handicap over a mile and a half.

On his latest visit to the course, the five-year-old was set plenty to do by his rider and in the circumstances did really well to finish as close as he did to the in-form Easibet Dot Net. Culhane is unlikely to allow the leaders too much rope and the combination are taken to beat Vandenberghe.

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