MUCH-TRAVELLED Roman King rates one of the afternoons' best bets in the Key 103 Classified Stakes at Haydock.

Originally trained by John Gosden at Newmarket, Roman King (2.35) has since been round the houses with spells at Micky Hammond's and Mark Johnston's, prior to being to switched Mary Reveley's Lingdale stables.

Today will be his first run for the Reveley yard and punters will have to take Roman King's fitness on trust having not seen a racecourse for 308 days.

It's always a calculated risk backing horses in such situations, however, when trained at Middleham last season he proved a reasonably easy individual to get ready, winning a valuable handicap at Epsom on only his second outing of the campaign. Following a freakish period of dry weather during March and the early part of this month rain has arrived in the nick of time for Roman King, who desperately needs a softish surface to show his best.

In the following five furlong Listed £24,000 Field Marshal Stakes Mariinsky (3.05) holds strong claims. "He has the makings of a very decent sprinter," reports trainer Brian Meehan, who not for the first time has his string in excellent heart for the time of year.

Finding the winner of the 16-runner Tote Ten To Follow Handicap is a tough assignment.

Ultra-consistent Mana d'Argent (3.35) shouldn't be far away and Johnston's in-form team could conceivably complete a double via Simeon (4.10) in the discover-racing.com Rated Stakes.

There's some terrific jumping action at Ascot with the £40,000 Silver Bowl Chase Showcase Handicap topping the bill.

The Pipe/McCoy combination are strongly represented with Upgrade who likes to force the pace along the another known front-runner, Just Jasmine (2.00).

Rodi Greene normally partners the latter, but he's on duty in Japan this weekend offering Barry Fenton the chance to shine on the selection. Kevin Bishop's nine-year-old mare goes well fresh, jumps like a stag, and is just the type to relish the challenge of Ascot's stiff fences. The normally competitive Weatherbys Long Distance Hurdle has not really come up to scratch and Spendid (2.30) can take advantage of a relatively weak line-up for such a prestigious £30,000 event.

Alan King's stayer has been mixing it with some top-notchers all season and although failing to get his head in front recently has run a succession of respectable races.

Pontefract stage their first Saturday fixture for over 40 years and have been rewarded with a superb seven-race card.

The opening Apprentice mile-and-a-half Handicap will not take much winning so provided Cyber Santa (1.45) is in a "going" mood he gets the nod.

Cyber Santa has won a couple of races at Newcastle and Lingfield interspersed with a spattering of less impressive efforts. On the plus side he warmed up with a promising outing at Ripon 10 days ago, a run which should have put him spot-on for today's contest.

Darryll Holland steered The Whistling Teal to success in the Pontefract Park Handicap 12 months ago and he's attempting to follow up aboard Donna's Double (4.00). Don Eddy's seven-year-old needs a strong early gallop and with an army of keen types in the race Holland's task should be made that bit easier in the saddle.

Horton Dancer will take all the beating if he can take advantage of his featherweight in the marathon 17 furlong 4.30 race.

David Barker's gelding has been beaten under a length on both his latest starts and surely deserves a change of luck in the hands of Joanna Badger.

Leave the opener at Hexham to Sir Ninja (1.50) partnered by the vastly underrated claiming jockey Vicky Roberts. Sir Ninja was once thought to be Group class on the level consequently it has to be regarded as a serious climb-down to be taking part in a lowly Conditional Jockey's Handicap Hurdle.

Nevertheless every dog has his day and Sir Ninja, a handsome son of Turtle Island, still has plenty of time to make his mark over jumps.

Emperor's Magic (3.20), denied victory when crashing out at the second last fence at Stratford last month, bids for compensation in the £10,000 John Smith's Handicap Chase at Market Rasen. Norman Mason's normally safe-jumping 11-year-old had previously bolted up over track and trip despite stumbling quite badly in the home straight.