TOWCESTER specialist Sir Bob (2.40) looks worth another chance in the Betfair.com Novices' Chase today.

It's fair enough to forgive Sir Bob's most recent flop at Uttoxeter, where the ground was like glue. Not too many horses go on that sort of surface and he's far better judged on his gutsy victory over track and trip last November.

On that occasion Kim Bailey's handsome gelding jumped like a stag and had an impressive 20 lengths to spare over the runner-up, Suntas, at the line.

Delicio (3.40) has also won at the course in the past and neither was there anything wrong with his latest fourth placing to Native Man at Ludlow.

Martin Sheppard's consistent nine-year-old admittedly lacks "gears", however Towcester is very much a track where the emphasis is stamina, rather than speed.

John Upson is a trainer who likes a winner at his local course and Wild Hadeer might just come up with the goods.

The selection has taken time to hit peak form this term and as a result has slipped down to a handy mark for the two-mile Handicap Hurdle at 4.10.

Wild Hadeer finished on the heels of the leaders in a competitive event at Market Rasen last month and he wouldn't have to step up a great deal on that effort to regain the winning thread.

Tony McCoy rarely fails to deliver at Wincanton and it's hard to see him losing on Samsaan (2.20) in division two of the Bradsons Maiden Hurdle.

Samsaan was a Group class stayer when campaigned by John Dunlop on the level and made an encouraging debut over jumps when fourth to Jaybejay a fortnight ago.

Favourite backers had their fingers well and truly burnt when Jonjo O'Neill's Borani (4.10) tipped up at Warwick on February 22.

He's a young hurdler with a high cruising speed and I expect him to be held up in the early stages prior to using his superior acceleration to cut down his rivals in the home straight.

Susan Nock has unearthed a really classy gelding in the shape of Tom Costalot (3.50), a confident choice to complete his four-timer and scoop the £10,000 Showcase Handicap at the same time.

* Followers of Janus (Colin Woods) were in the money at Lingfield yesterday when nap selection, Welsh Dream, obliged at 12-1.

* Simon Magnier trained his first British winner at Catterick yesterday when Welsh Main landed the opening Frank Freeman Novices' Hurdle in the hands of Richard Guest.

Magnier, based at Melsonby near Richmond, was granted a dual-purpose licence last June and purchased Welsh Main at Newmarket's autumn horses in training sale.

''We thought he was pretty cheap at 9,000 guineas considering he was rated 108 when with Henry Cecil,'' said Magnier.

Magnier, who previously trained around 30 winners in separate stints in the USA and Saudi Arabia, is a first cousin to John Magnier, the driving force behind the all-conquering Coolmore operation in Ireland.

There were only four finishers from seven starters in the incident-packed Pytchley Echo Novices' Handicap Chase, with victory eventually going to conditional rider Ciaran Eddery aboard Norman Mason's Red Rampage, making his debut over fences.

The pair looked beaten when blundering and losing the initiative six fences from home, but Eddery, nephew to Pat, conjured up a late rally from his mount to collar Tobesure approaching the last.

''That's my third winner and first over fences,'' said Eddery, who has been with Mason's County Durham stable for two years