WHEN Venetia Williams lines up one of her big guns for a major staying chase, such as this afternoon's £50,000 "Badger Beer" at Wincanton, then the opposition better watch out.

The Hereford-based handler has always been a dab hand at getting her horses well-handicapped when there is plenty of money to play for and Itsonlyme (2.40) fits very neatly into that category.

Even though he pulverised his rivals on both starts in novices' company at Towcester back in the spring, Itsonlyme is still slap-bang at the bottom of the weights, with only ten stone to shoulder in the west-country showpiece.

This step up to Listed company is a totally different challenge for the nine-year-old, but with the sort of firepower Venetia has at home she'll be fully clued up on just how good the selection is.

Paul Nicholls, who has dominated the thrill-a-minute three-mile-one-furlong contest by lifting the race for the past three years in succession, attempts to make it four via Montifault.

Montifault has a decent chance of repeating his success of 12 months ago, but punters must take into account he's a staggering 14lb higher in the weights.

"Montifault has come back from his summer break in good order, although this race might come a fortnight too soon for him," said Nicholls.

If Montifault does end up being second best to Itsonlyme, the Nicholls' stable might already have achieved some measure of compensation by picking up the preceding two races on the card courtesy of Cape Stormer (1.35) and Thisthatandtother (2.05).

Cape Stormer showed he was a novice chaser to follow by storming to success at Cheltenham last month, while Thisthatandtother is hard to oppose, having already posted an impressive track-and-trip win on October 27th.

The feature event at Chepstow, the £35,000 Tote Silver Trophy Hurdle, is a typically wide-open affair at this comparatively early stage of the jumps' season.

One of the less exposed performers in the 11-runner line-up, Chicago Bulls (2.10), might just pop up at a decent price. Warren Marston's mount rounded off his 2001/2002 campaign with rousing victories at Doncaster and Ludlow.

He also possesses prodigious scope for improvement, given the fact he is so young, not to mention that Alan King's string are in rip-roaring fettle.

Sandown raider Roberty Bob (2.15) is a possible contender for next month's Hennessy Gold Cup, but first he must demonstrate his well-being by passing muster in the Claremont Handicap Chase.

"He jumps beautifully and was as good a novice chaser at his fences as you could hope to see last season. We would like to think he is still progressive and might just think about the Hennessy, but it can only be speculative at this stage," explained his trainer, Henry Daly.

Philip Hide, seemingly none the worse for a bone-crunching fall at Newton Abbot on Thursday, can partner Barcelona (2.50) to victory in the £10,000 Kingston Handicap Hurdle.

Barcelona was desperately unlucky to be nailed right on the lollipop at Kempton a fortnight ago. Spectators and satellite viewers alike will have noticed Hide was not hard on his charge that day and his tenderness deserves reward in the two-mile event.

Few individuals have shown the astronomical headway demonstrated by Mark Johnston's Knavesmire Omen (2.55), bidding for his seventh win of the year in the Saffie Joseph Handicap at Doncaster.

It's been a remarkable rags-to-riches tale considering he was beaten in selling company as a juvenile, now just a distant memory as he gets better and better each time he sets foot on a racecourse.

* Mary Reveley succeeded yesterday in her appeal against the penalties handed out at Wetherby on Saturday over the running and riding of Florida Rain.

The Saltburn trainer was fined £2,200 for 'schooling in public' after Florida Rain had finished down the field and the gelding banned from running for 30 days. However both penalties have been overturned.

Get more racing online at www.racing-north.co.uk.