WITH so much wet weather around the spotlight switches to the soft-ground specialists and there's no greater mudlark than Bellator (2.40), heading for today's prestigious Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter.

Course officials are optimistic the meeting will pass a 6.30 inspection, paving the way for the Venetia Williams-trained seven-year-old to lay claim to the £35,000 event.

Bellator's emergence as a high-class two-mile chaser began eleven months ago on heavy ground at lowly Newton Abbot, where he won a poorly contested novices' chase hard held by two lengths.

Two victories in far higher-grade races at Ascot and Haydock earmarked the son of Simply Great as a future champion over fences.

He has some tough nuts to crack today, including Upgrade, Cenkos, and 1999 Queen Mother Champion Chase hero Call Equiname, but they will all have to be at the top of their game to cope with Bellator's capacity to produce a scintillating burst of finishing speed.

Philip Hobbs has his string in tip-top shape and it's not hard to envisage him notching a double in the last two races via Norlandic (3.40) and Jaguar (4.10).

A cursory glance at Norlandic's form figures demonstrate just what a consistent sort he was last term, winning once, and coming second on all three of his other starts.

Jaguar boasts a similarly enviable record, scoring on his debut at Newcastle prior to occupying the runners-up spot at Hexham.

In fact, the defeat at Hexham could be perceived as a shade unlucky because the gelding reportedly injured his back by rearing up in the paddock preliminaries.

At the time he was in the care of Lenny Lungo. Whether Hobbs can bring about even more improvement is open to debate, but he looks an extremely useful recruit.

There will be plenty of interest at Warwick surrounding Diva's (2.50) appearance in the BBT Juvenile Novices' Hurdle.

Alan King's filly produced one of the best performances of the season when spreadeagling a big field on her first try over timber at Hereford.

In the preceding Watch Security Handicap Hurdle another potential star of the future, Brave Dream (2.20), returns to the fray.

Jim Old's Commanche Run six-year-old has been successful in three of his six outings to date, all in the style of a really progressive individual.

l Bobbyjo, winner of the 1999 Martell Grand National, failed to sparkle on his reappearance at Galway yesterday.

Tommy Carberry's 10-year-old was ridden by the trainer's son Philip, who was deputising for his injured elder brother Paul. The gelding has not won since his famous victory at Aintree