CONDITIONS appear near ideal for Sunley Shines (3.10) to record a second course and distance victory at Fontwell this afternoon.

With no racing in the north, we must go south in search of winners and Brendan Powell's six-year-old represents a perfect place to start in the Crown Racing Mares' Only Handicap Hurdle.

Fontwell's long and demanding uphill home straight seems to suit Sunley Shines, who made just about every yard of the running when knuckling down to the job in hand with admirable resolution at the track ten days ago.

Heavy rain during the past 24 hours will ensure the selection gets the soft ground she needs, which combined with the valuable 5lbs his useful conditional rider is able to take off her back, make a sensible case for a small investment in the two-and-a-quarter-mile contest.

The manner with which Nero West (4.10) trounced the opposition at Wincanton recently could not have been more impressive.

Nero West now bids to complete a double in the closing Racecourse Video Services Handicap Hurdle, an event in which he could hold all the aces seeing as the handicapper has allotted the gelding a lenient mark of only 105.

Lucy Bridges who owns, trains, plus partners the five-year-old, hardly had to move a muscle when romping home by ten lengths, an inaugural success that suggests there's plenty more left in the tank.

Champion jockey Tony McCoy takes a trip to Folkestone where he has a stack of promising mounts including Graffiti Tongue (3.00).

Graffiti Tongue boasts a far superior strike-rate to any of his ten rivals with three wins from six races over the last few months. Admittedly at 12 years of age he's a bit long in the tooth, nevertheless with little of note to beat he could yet defy his welter burden of 12st 13lbs in the Westhanger Selling Hurdle.

For the following Hythe Handicap Chase, bookmakers are likely to be very stingy with the odds laid about Presenting Express (3.30), poised to complete a deserved three-timer.

Emma Lavelle's chaser jumped like a gazelle at Taunton, cantering through the field in cruise gear on the final circuit to collect without Barry Fenton having to resort to the whip.

Fenton's fortunes were soon to take a nosedive with a crashing fall that put him on the sidelines, ironically making way for fellow crock, Marcus Foley, who himself has only just returned from injury.

Finally to Southwell and the prospects of Sonic Anthem (2.20), a remarkable runaway 16 length winner at the track 16 days ago.

Quite what tonic Dandy Nicholls administered to his inmate over the early part of the winter is a mystery, however it sure did the trick as the son of Royal Anthem notched a belated first ever triumph in scintillating style.

* Former Smurfit Champion Hurdle favourite Harchibald will not run again this season, trainer Noel Meade has confirmed.

The seven-year-old has been in Troytown Hospital since New Year's Day having had an operation to remove a piece of birch from his off-hind pastern.

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