HAT-TRICK seeking Bold Action has the class to complete an impressive three-timer in the Stephen Easten Handicap Chase at Newcastle today.

Trainer Jim Turner deserves a change of fortune having suffered the agony of seeing last Saturday's valuable Great Yorkshire Chase snatched from his grasp when stable-star Inn At The Top was nailed close home by Micky Hammond's Heidi 111.

But at least in the shape of Bold Action (2.50) he has another highly-progressive chaser to go to war with because the selection stepped up significantly on his previous success at Towcester when brushing aside the useful Market Scan at Wetherby nine days ago.

And a reproduction of that form on his favoured heavy ground would surely be enough to offset the 6lbs penalty he is due to carry against a field of mainly exposed rivals.

Mary Reveley's superb strike-rate at the course looks all set to be maintained by A Piece Of Cake (3.50) in the Citex Bucknall Austin Novices' Chase.

The exciting eight-year-old grey followed a cosy victory stroll at Kelso with an even better third to Red Marauder in the grade two "Golden Dipper" over track and trip last time out.

Mrs Reveley's stable could easily complete a double via Bramble Fair (4.20) in the closing Manor Road Nursery Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle.

Bramble Fair's current winning streak began at Kelso in November prior to bolting up at Wetherby earlier on this month. The only possible chink in the mare's armour is her unproven stamina at three-miles, however I wouldn't have too many worries on that score after witnessing her latest runaway romp over 20.5 furlongs.

Potential outsider Loup Cervier (2.00) might be the best value bet of the day at Lingfield in division two of the Chive Maiden Handicap.

He's got bits and pieces of turf form that would entitle him to a chance and certainly didn't run as badly as his ninth placing suggests over course and distance three weeks ago.

No prizes for guessing who will make the running in the mile-and-a-half Thyme Handicap given the presence of the blitzkrieg trail-blazer Lost Spirit (3.00).

Nothing else is likely to get a sniff of the lead until somewhere approaching the home straight and even then it's debatable whether anything will have the pace to go by the American-bred stayer, whose homeopathic snake venom prescription seems to have cured his predisposition to break blood vessels.

Full marks to the Tote for once again sponsoring the biggest pot on the card in the guise of the £12,000 Showcase Handicap.

Solid cases can be made for both Tightrope and Resplendent Star (3.30) since their respective ability to handle the surface is not expected to be under any severe scrutiny.

I just give the nod to Resplendent Star, who has been given time to recover from a slightly disappointing display behind Culzean at Wolverhampton in December.

With Malcolm Jefferson's stable seemingly poised for a fruitful end-of-winter campaign it would be no surprise to see Just Jake (3.10) pop up at decent odds in the Peter Sandrovitch Handicap Chase at Leicester.

Tom Siddall's mount has slipped down to a most attractive mark in an event not only run over his ideal trip, but also on the sort bottomless of ground that very few horses truly handle.