MUCH-IMPROVED Rebel Son rates the top bet on a fascinating seven-race card at Sedgefield this afternoon.

Course director and local permit holder John Wade has generously sponsored the £12,500 hurdle at 2.50 to celebrate his birthday, although I regret to report his entry for the contest, the lowly-rated Taleban, will need a minor miracle if he is to take the money.

On the other hand, Rebel Son, already successful three times at the track this term, has an outstanding chance judged on the way he and jockey Richard Guest swept aside the opposition on their latest visit to the course.

Ferdy Murphy has pencilled in the Scottish National as a possible target for What A Wonder, but first the six-year-old gelding must prove he can make a smooth transition from hurdles to fences by taking the Marske Novices' Chase.

What A Wonder (1.20) proved to be a consistent hurdler over the past 12 months and looks to have Chaparro Amargoso to beat if he is to make a successful debut over the bigger obstacles.

Predicting the outcome of the Paddock Bookmakers Handicap Chase is no simple task with Lord Capitaine, Finnure, and Gus Berry (1.50) all very closely matched.

If only Howard Johnson's Lord Capitaine could be relied upon to run the same race twice, he'd be the tip. However he's passed over in favour of Gus Berry, who ran out of petrol at Aintree a couple of weeks ago having looked the likely winner with five fences to jump.

Eileen Alanna (2.20), who gamely repelled all comers to collect over track and trip 12 days ago, must be in with a great shout of completing a double in the Selling Handicap, especially against some particularly moderate rivals.

Talk about snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, Huntingdon-bound Strong Magic (1.40) had the race at his mercy at Kempton five days ago only to be flattened by a loose horse, having jumped the second last fence with a commanding advantage.

It was one of the most unfortunate incidents I've witnessed and he and his jockey Jimmy McCarthy deserve compensation in the Igloos Handicap Chase.

Lingfield unveil their brand new Polytrack surface laid in response to an avalanche of criticism from owners and trainers following a series of unprecedented disasters last winter when meetings were called off within minutes of the first race due to frost penetrating the worn-out existing equitrack.

Arena Leisure have been rewarded for their substantial investment with a bumper eight-race card, including a smashing £30,000 Nursery Handicap.

Mark Johnston makes it rather tricky by entering two in the race, Ashkalani Star and Takes Tutu (2.30).

Despite the fact that the former has an all-weather Wolverhampton success to his name, to my way of thinking Takes Tutu is the classier of the pair.

At the beginning of the turf campaign most of us thought Takes Tutu would be one of the best juveniles in the string.

He has yet to get his head in front. But Takes Tutu ran a belter when third on the sand at Southwell last time over six furlongs and by my reckoning today's extra 220 yards might make all of the difference.

l Progressive chaser Shooting Light was yesterday the subject of strong support for the Thomas Pink Gold Cup at Cheltenham on Saturday.

The Martin Pipe-trained runner was quoted as low as 9-4 favourite with the Tote and hardened to 11-4 favourite from 3-1 with Coral following yesterday's five-day declaration stage.

William Hill also quoted Shooting Light as their 11-4 favourite for the race.

His part-owner John Brown, the chairman of Hills, said: ''Shooting Light is a worthy favourite for the Thomas Pink Gold Cup, but no certainty.'