NOT so long ago in 1995 trainer Kim Bailey was the toast of Cheltenham when sending out Master Oats and Alderbrook to complete a famous Gold Cup and Champion Hurdle Festival double.

How times have changed for Kim. In the relatively short space of five years the big guns have deserted his stable leaving Bailey to fish in far shallower waters with the likes of Sir Bob (3.05) at Haydock.

Sir Bob's credentials for the MNC Novices' Handicap Chase are not immediately apparent, having run an absolute stinker at Towcester last time.

And there's no doubt that the selection was already well beaten when catapulting his rider into orbit three fences from the finish at the last-named course, making it necessary to delve deeper into the past to make a plausible case for Sir Bob.

The evidence required hails from the excellent performance he put up when fourth to Zafarabad and Paris Pike at Huntingdon in January. The latter franking the form in emphatic style by going on to win the Scottish Grand National, thus it's not hard to envisage Sir Bob defying top-weight this afternoon.

Malcolm Jefferson's yard have recently emerged from a spell in the doldrums auguring well for the prospects of Shuildante (3.35) in the Racing Channel Novices' Handicap Hurdle.

The six-year-old has a 225-day absence to overcome since scoring at Perth, but one of Jefferson's strengths has always been getting his horses fit however long they might have been off course.

Sooner or later Sotonian (1.45) is going to regain the winning thread and the 1.45 at Lingfield appears to be an ideal opportunity.

Admittedly Paul Felgate's sprinter is on a long losing run, although he cannot be blamed for his latest track and trip defeat having been drawn out with the washing on that occasion.

This time he has been much more fortunate coming out of the number five stall and the booking of the up-and-coming apprentice jockey Graham Gibbons is another major plus.

The £9,500 Cantor Index Handicap over a mile-and-a-half features the sand debut of the former Ebor fancy Arabian Moon.

He's been transferred from Clive Brittain to Simon Dow so his new connections might be feeling their way at this early stage and consequently I pass him over in favour of Ursa Major (2.45).

Conrad Allen's course specialist has dropped nicely down the weights as result of some not too inspiring efforts barring his latest third to Culzean, which was much more encouraging.

In the closing Whips & Woods Handicap, Miss Hit (3.45) tries seven furlongs for the first time.

She's by the prolific winning sire Efisio, whose stock often stay this trip. A useful low draw should also help Gerard Butler's mare maintain a good early pitch prior to putting her rivals to sleep with a killer late thrust.

Massive fields at Taunton ensure winner-finding is none too easy. Nevertheless, Vague Hope (2.50) might be worthy of at least each-way support in the Reindeer Novices' Handicap Hurdle.

Annabel King's eight-year-old was well in arrears of Salford when the pair crossed swords over 21 furlongs at Ludlow earlier in the month. But the former now has a pull of nearly a stone at the weights and the benefit of running over a slightly shorter distance