Today's racing is the best of both codes, a quality card at York for their final meeting of a stellar season, alongside the small matter of the Betfred Cesarewitch, and if that's not enough, there's the first proper meeting of the jumps season at Chepstow.

At York, the Coral Sprint Trophy takes centre stage and Mass Rally will make plenty of appeal after winner the William Hill Silver Cup at Ayr last time out.

Higher in the weights today, slight preference would be for the three-year-old Heeraat, winner over course and distance last time out.

Trained in Newmarket by William Haggas, champion jockey Paul Hanagan takes the ride again. The ground is going to be very testing and stall 15 might prove the right place to be.

At Newmarket, Cheltenham Festival Triumph Hurdle winner Countrywide Flame bids to land a valuable prize on the level for his dual purpose, Malton-based trainer John Quinn.

Quinn decided in spring to give Countrywide Flame just one run before heading to Newmarket and that was a winning one at Chester.

"We were expecting him to run well at Chester. If he hadn't run well we wouldn't be heading to Newmarket, but we were expecting a good run because he had been training well going into the race," said Quinn.

"He has been in good form since and we have been very happy with him.

"He is going up in trip but I think he will get it all right and the ground shouldn't be a bother to him."

Down at Chepstow the ground is also going to be very testing and, as ever, Paul Nicholls and Ruby Walsh could be in for a good day.

In the valuable four-year-old hurdle at 3.40pm it will be a surprise if Hinterland doesn't go very close for the dream team.

Very smart as a juvenile over hurdles last season, he always looked the type to progress and still looks well handicapped.

Although not really a betting heat, the novices chase at 3pm is a cracker, featuring Fingal Bay who is having his first start over fences.

Respected trainer Philip Hobbs said he is "as good as I've ever trained" and he has the size and scope to be even better over fences.

Jockey Richard Johnson also looking forward to the task in hand, saying: "He's a very exciting horse and he was very good last year.

"We've always thought of him as a chaser and whatever he achieved over hurdles last year was going to be a bonus. The fact he was so good bodes well.

"He's done everything we've asked of him at home, so now it's time to go and do it on the track.

"It will be very soft ground but he likes that.

"It looks a good little race but it's that time of year. Obviously we'd like him to win on the bridle, but he might not learn much doing that. You are unlikely to get an easy novice chase as there are so many good horses ready to run.

"There's a long season ahead of us but hopefully he can make a winning start."