BETHANYS BOY (1.00) is the banker bet on by far the best all-weather card seen at Southwell this year.

Brian Ellison's Malton-based five-year-old made no mistake when asserting his authority in a slightly weaker contest at Wolverhampton ten days ago, a race in which he clocked the fastest time of the day.

Some might say Ellison's ploy of stepping Bethanys Boy up in grade is over ambitious but it's not a decision based on thin ice as the son of Docksider has the sort of pedigree that gives the impression he's set to improve with age.

The £20,000 five-furlong Littlewoods Bet Direct Handicap brings together a bunch of cracking sprinters.

Such is the assembled talent on show not one of the ten-strong field can be discounted with any confidence, although the one I believe will lead home the dash for cash is Ok Pal (3.00).

The Terry Mills-trained gelding is positively on fire at present, having posted successive wins at Wolverhampton and, more recently, over this afternoon's course and distance.

Ok Pal's latest triumph could not have been more emphatic, especially as he was caught napping in the stalls and lost at least two lengths as the gates flew open and his rivals sped away to grab a handy head start.

After his sluggish beginning his supporters could be excused for tearing up their tickets there and then in anticipation of what seemed certain defeat.

Fortunately jockey Ian Mongan kept pushing and shoving until Ok Pal burst through the pack to record an unlikely victory.

Having given the selection a classic never-say-die ride, unsurprisingly Mills has once again secured the services of Mongan, who has few peers in the saddle when it comes to a whip-cracking finish.

Middleham's John Weymes has finally unearthed a suitable one-mile encounter for Woodwee (3.30), a three-year-old sure to be suited by a test of stamina rather than the sprint trips he's been tried over of late. Woodwee is woefully short of pace but he's game and genuine, a trait worth its weight in gold on the grotty fibresand surface, which doesn't make an edifying spectacle when the runners and riders return caked from head-to-toe in the dreaded kickback.

Warwick's meeting is threatened by freezing temperatures but if the track passes a 7.30am inspection, The Local (2.50) could have the legs of his opponents in the Ray Cooper Novices Handicap Chase.

Tony McCoy's partner made a satisfactory fencing debut when fourth at the course this month. The local didn't help his cause with a couple of typical novice mistakes on that occasion, errors that no doubt Mccoy's skill up top will help iron out in the £10,000 feature race of the meeting.

* Prize money for Royal Ascot will top the £3.5m mark for the first time this summer.

The cash fund for the 2006 meeting will be increased by 12.5 per cent, bringing the total on offer for the five days to over £3.6mn.

Additions to the Golden Jubilee Stakes (£350,000 from £250,000) and the King's Stand Stakes (£200,000 from £140,000) were announced in December. Further highlights include £70,000 added to the King Edward VII Stakes and £25,000 added to the St James's Palace Stakes and the Coronation Stakes.

''It is important for racing to return to the newly-redeveloped Ascot with significant increases in prize money for our flagship meeting,'' said Ascot chief executive Douglas Erskine-Crum.

Across-the-board increases totalling £85,000 have also been made to 11 races.

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