County Durham trainer Bob Johnson hasn't had much to smile about in recent times but The Leather Wedge can change his luck by taking the betfredpoker.com Handicap over five furlongs at Southwell today.

The speedy six-year-old, who won over this course and distance last winter, is an improved sprinter this year and showed he was still in reasonable form at Catterick last weekend.

Despite racing from 13lb out of the handicap, he showed all of his customary dash before fading in the closing stages in much better company than this and runner-up Malapropism again ran well at Musselburgh the following day.

Given the five-furlong course suits those racing right up with the pace, he looks to have a fair bit in his favour and he's fancied to get the better of Attorney, who has had a memorable season so far.

William Haggas is certainly finishing the year with a flourish and his lightly-raced Rampage is a very interesting runner in the Rippon Homes Ltd Handicap over six furlongs.

A winner over this trip on soft ground at Newcastle on her debut last year, she saw the racecourse earlier this month but showed she was an improved sort when second to Greenwood on her handicap debut.

Given she is open to plenty of improvement and is by Pivotal, who gets plenty of winners on artificial surfaces, she shouldn't be inconvenienced by conditions and is sure to give a good account.

Haggas can also be on the mark with Signal Hill, who shaped well on his recent debut at Newcastle, in division one of the Continental Tyres Maiden Auction Stakes over seven furlongs.

Although that wasn't much of a race, he travelled strongly for much of the way - a trait that will stand him in good stead for this all-weather debut and he too is open to plenty of improvement.

Division one can go to Born Slippy, who shaped well at Lingfield on debut when third to subsequent Listed race runner-up Scottish Stage and he wasn't disgraced on turf last time.

At Yarmouth's Banded meeting Henry Cecil's Four Pleasure takes a steep drop in grade and is the fancy in the Moulton Nurseries Maiden Claiming Stakes over seven furlongs and Barney Curley's Ndola is the fancy over a mile and a quarter half an hour later.

The sole jumps meeting is at Exeter and Paul Nicholls and Ruby Walsh look the team to follow. They can complete a four-timer with Lord Anner (2.40), Blue Business (3.10),Cornish Sett (4.10) and Nippy Des Mottes (4.40).

Pick of the quartet could be Cornish Sett, who made up into a fair hurdler in a relatively short time last season but looks the type that could do a fair bit better now switched to the larger obstacles.

Blue Business, unbeaten in four starts over hurdles this term, is also very much of interest on his first run over fences in the 3663 Duchy Of Cornwall Challenge Cup Beginners Chase over three miles.

Saltburn trainer Keith Reveley's presence at the Devon track is doubtless due to the Peter Savill connection, and will be interesting in the event of any support in the concluding bumper.

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