MALCOLM JEFFERSON'S stable-star Moss Harvey (1.55) deserves a crack at the big-time and today at Newbury he gets the chance to cement his position as one of the season's leading young chasers.

"He has hardly put a foot wrong in the past two seasons and ran a blinder when sixth in the Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham," said Jefferson.

The Malton-based trainer is never one to talk up his horses unless he has proof of their ability.

In retrospect, whatever Moss Harvey achieved over hurdles it was always going to be a bonus because, judged by his colossal frame, an even brighter future seemed assured once he switched to the bigger obstacles.

But these things are never quite so easy as they sound and Jefferson surely breathed a huge sigh of relief when his horse made a winning debut over fences at Fakenham in October.

Moss Harvey has since followed up in a race run at funereal pace at Kelso. There'll be no such mucking around in today's three-mile £30,000 Worcester Novices' Chase, which is choc full of crown pretenders and therefore almost certain to be run at a true end-to-end gallop.

In the Cyntergy-sponsored Showcase Handicap Chase, Andrew Thornton has been booked to partner the erratic jumper Fin Bec.

Thornton's ability to coax his mounts from one side of a fence to the other is almost legendary and if Fin Bec decides to co-operate the combination might well edge out some far more fancied rivals.

Tom George's stable is just beginning to shift into top gear, boding well for the prospects of Royal Beluga (12.45) in the opening Llanamon Novices' Handicap Chase at Bangor.

Royal Beluga, who won on the Flat in his native France just over two years ago, has as yet failed to build on that success in the UK. But he did well enough when placed a couple of times over hurdles last season.

Sir Mark Prescott won four times on the level with Jewel Of India (1.10) prior to selling him on to Philip Hobbs in order to take up a new career over the sticks.

Hobbs isn't the type to take any undue risks and he will have intensively schooled Jewel Of India at home in preparation for an anticipated winning debut in the JP Seafoods Juvenile Novices' Hurdle.

Echo's Of Dawn bids to win the three-mile-and-one-furlong Malpas Handicap Chase for the second year in succession, but I reckon the ten-year-old gelding could be thwarted by Jonjo O'Neill's classy staying chaser, Mini Sensation.

O'Neill has a cracking 25 per cent strike-rate at the course with his runners over the past five years and Mini Sensation also had the distinction of winning on his comeback outing in 2001.

Best bet of the day is reserved for Wolverhampton, where the all-weather specialist Tayaar (3.40) has the speed to blow away his rivals in the five-furlong Bet Direct Handicap.

* Howard Johnson has his team in splendid form and he took his score to seven in 12 days when Grattan Lodge won the Aspatria Amateur Riders' Handicap Hurdle at Carlisle yesterday under another good ride from Pauline Robson, who was riding her second winner in three days.

Saltburn trainer Mary Reveley sent out three winners on Wednesday, and she struck again when Totally Scottish, ridden by conditional Fergus King, landed the betfair.com Hurdle (Showcase Handicap).

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