YOUNG TOMO bids to add to an already impressive course record at Sedgefield by winning today's £5,000 three-mile-and-three-furlong St Mowden Handicap Chase.

Howard Johnson's ten-year-old gelding has lost none his of enthusiasm. His "take no prisoners" style of racing has indeed endeared him to legions of local National Hunt fans because invariably when the tapes go up, Young Tomo is off like a scalded cat, jumping from fence to fence with the zest of a horse half his age.

It was just those sort of positive tactics that brought the selection victory over course and distance just 11 months ago when he bounded well clear of the opposition on the final circuit to post an emphatic success.

Although Young Tomo (4.40) now has to race off a slightly higher mark, trainer Johnson has taken the sensible precaution of booking the top 3lb conditional jockey Wilson Renwick to ride.

Johnson has also called on the services of Renwick to partner Log On Intersky (4.10) in the John Hellens Chase.

Hellens, a former Permit Holder and Public Trainer, now concentrates on his highly-successful earthmoving business, however his sponsorship is still much-appreciated. And if my reckoning is correct, it will be Log On Intersky, already successful at the track over hurdles, who picks up the prize money.

In the earlier John Wade Selling Handicap Hurdle it could pay to take a chance with Kate Milligan's Lord Pat (2.40), even though the eleven-year-old has been out of action since March.

After all, Lord Pat won second time out at Newcastle last term, proving that he doesn't take too much getting ready. The particular race in question was also significantly stronger than the one he contests today, a factor which will not to be missed on the discerning backer.

Richard Whitaker has been waiting for a drop of rain for one of his stable-stars Vicious Prince (3.50), and his prayers have been answered at Ayr, where conditions are set to be extremely testing following a very wet spell.

Vicious Prince is a strong and rangy colt, held in the highest regard by both his astute trainer and regular pilot Dean McKeown. He's already won twice this term and ran an absolute cracker when fourth in the valuable Knavesmire Handicap at York's Ebor meeting.

Punting at Leicester is not for the faint-hearted, with several massively competitive big fields to deal with.

Kieren Fallon looks like he's going to have a decent day rounded off by the Steve Gollings-trained course specialist, Rutland Chantry (5.30), strongly fancied to take the closing mile-and-a-quarter Stewards Handicap.

* Double Honour heads the weights for Saturday's £120,000 Tote Cesarewitch at Newmarket, for which a total of 44 horses stood their ground at yesterday's confirmation stage.

Mary Reveley trains the hot ante-post favourite Tees Components, for which Kevin Darley has long been booked for the ride.

But James Given is hopeful he can spike the favourite's guns with the versatile Hugs Dancer.

The five-year-old, who has won races over trips from 12 to 21 furlongs this season, has had a long break since winning the prestigious Tote Ebor at York in August.

But Given reports his charge to be in good order ahead of his weekend engagement.

''He had a very hard race in the Ebor but he has had a long break and he seems very well,'' the trainer said.

''He is training well and I hope he is going to run a big race.''

The wet start to the week across most parts of the country had led to fears of soft ground at Newmarket but Given said: ''I am at the sales in Newmarket at the moment and we haven't had any rain at all today."

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