PATRICK HASLAM'S decision to send Dan's Heir (12.50) on the long trek from Middleham to Fakenham should not go without reward in the opening Marie Curie Novices' Hurdle.

Dan's Heir, who'd already been paying his pay his way nicely on the Flat, scored at the first time of asking over hurdles when justifying 9/4 favouritism on a successful raid to Market Rasen in July.

It was to be another 23 weeks before he seen out over the sticks again, but once more Dan's Heir didn't disappoint, improving in defeat to chase home the classy French recruit, Ortolan Bleu, at Wetherby in late December.

There's certainly nothing of the calibre of the last-named individual in today's line-up, leaving the door wide open for the progressive four-year-old to make a welcome return to the winners' enclosure.

Front-runners traditionally do well at the track, a notable local feature bringing Rookery Lad (2.20) very much into the equation for the Firth Memorial Novices' Chase.

Chris Kellett's gelding has won at the course in the past over hurdles, however this season he's been given the green light to take on the bigger obstacles, a tactical switch which brought about a hard-earned victory on a trip to Chepstow in November.

There can little doubt it'll be a case of catch-me-if-you-can as far as Rookery Lad is concerned, seeing as jockey David Crosse is sure to go hell-for-leather from the minute the tapes rise in the hope of getting well clear of the opposition.

Plumpton's three-and-a-quarter-mile Handicap Chase is the sort of stamina test likely to bring out the best in Anflora (3.30).

Bernard Llewellyn's mare relishes a war of attrition, a state of affairs guaranteed by the state of ground which not for the first time at the Sussex venue is currently near bottomless.

Anflora is only 6lbs higher than when picking up an almost identical contest at Chepstow in October, a relatively small weight differential that might not be sufficient to stop her taking a hand in the finish.

A low draw appears to a massive advantage at Wolverhampton these days, a point that will not be missed on Joe Fanning, rider of King's Fable (3.10) in the betdirect.co.uk Handicap.

Joe had to use up valuable petrol when booting King's Fable out of the coffin box in stall 13 and straight into the lead when the pair teamed up over course and distance recently.

Having made such a bold dash for the inside rail, Fanning and partner hung on gallantly until collared inside the final furlong and eventually settling for third spot.

Fortunately no such initial heroics are going to be needed this afternoon because King's Fable is set to emerge from stall 2, the perfect pitch for Mark Johnston's three-year-old to power out of the gates and not see another rival until passing the post in first place.

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