FIRST it was the floods, then the kind of permafrost which has turned much of the ground to iron, and to cap it all Parliament has just voted to ban foxhunting.

In fact, which ever way you look at the situation it's been a pretty bleak couple of months for National Hunt racing.

More than 60 fixtures have already been lost, not including Catterick or Stratford, both of which need to pass inspections this morning if they are not to join the ever-growing list of depressing abandonments.

Paradoxically in the middle of winter it's therefore left to the "flat boys" to keep the show on the road, courtesy today of the all-weather tracks at Lingfield and Wolverhampton

Channel 4 has fortunately saved the day for armchair punters by hastily rearranging their live schedules in order to cover the last five races at Lingfield.

With plenty of runners around there are some decent betting opportunities to be had.

The £16,000 Silks Suite Handicap tops the bill headed by Richard Hannon's Culzean, cruelly raised 8lb after narrowly winning on his sand debut at Wolverhampton in December.

Even with the talented apprentice Richard Smith taking 5lb off his back, Culzean looks up against it, taking on the likes of the well-handicapped White Plains and the even less exposed Sarena Pride (2.45).

Roland O'Sullivan's filly was galvanised by the application of first-time blinkers when gamely seeing off the challenge of Sash over course and distance on December 13.

It was her first try over the trip and it seemed to suit the daughter of Persian Bold far better than the shorter distances she had been tried over in a more-or-less fruitless summer campaign.

An even bigger bonus is the booking of the rising star Graham Gibbons, who did this column a major favour when steering home Tuesday's 7-2 nap selection Paarl Rock.

Gibbons is rapidly making a name for himself, riding with the panache of a fully-fledged jockey, rather than a relatively inexperienced 7lb claimer.

The five-furlong dash for the Crusader Handicap features a couple of devilishly fast front-runners, namely Charge and Jackerin (1.45).

The former would win this by the length of a football pitch if he returned to anything like his best, however Karl Burke's sprinter continues to frustrate his supporters with a series of disappointing efforts.

Nor has Jackerin won for a while, resulting in an inexorable plunge down to the sort of rating which sooner or later he must surely take advantage of.

In the hope of Catterick getting the green light, and local officials are said to be optimistic about the frost coming out of the ground, Batoutoftheblue (12.55) makes plenty of appeal in the opening Swale Novices' Hurdle.

Stamina is the long suit of Bill Haigh's Malton raider, so the extended three-mile trip will hold no horrors for the dour eight-year-old stayer.

Mary Reveley wastes little time stepping Shrivar (2.00) up in grade for the Stanleybet sponsored two-mile Handicap Hurdle.

He toyed with a big field at Musselburgh on his timber debut, prior to sprinting clear from the final flight.

Although he clearly lacks the experience of his rivals, Shrivar's natural speed should more than compensate for any potential misgivings in that particular department.

Just as Howard Johnson's string have emerged from the doldrums the bad weather has contrived to spoil the party.

Shagreen's recent second to River Don confirmed the Crook handler was on the way back and he'll be hoping the gelding can go one better in the Leeming Handicap Chase.

Mick Easterby has live treble chances at Stratford and Wolverhampton via Dower House (1.45), Castletown Count (3.15), and Pension Fund (8.30).

Dower House created a hugely favourable impression when beating Rum Pointer and Konker at Newcastle just before Christmas.

That's outstanding form by anyone's reckoning because both have since obliged in a hack canter.

Castletown Count palpably ran out of petrol over three miles and a furlong at Catterick so should be suited by the drop back to twenty-one furlongs in the Claydon Handicap Chase.

Easterby's evening traveller to Wolverhampton, Pension Fund, has been trying his luck with little joy over jumps in recent weeks.

For one reason he has yet to get his act together over hurdles, but I've a suspicion he'll be much more at home back on the level in the extended one-mile Emerald Isle Handicap.

In the following St Patrick Selling Stakes Picture Mee (9.00) could easily break her duck.

That's assuming she reproduces the sort of late flourish achieved when fourth to Dancing Penney at Southwell 12 days ago