GRAHAM and Andrea Wylie, the most powerful owners in northern jump racing in recent seasons, may have deserted the north since their trainer Howard Johnson lost his licence in the summer, but they have stayed loyal to northern jockey Brian Hughes at Aintree today.

The result is, that Hughes has elected to cross the Pennines, rather than ride at this afternoon’s Wetherby meeting, where he might well have had at least one winner for James Ewart, for whom he rides as first choice jockey.

Hughes wore the Wylie colours in victory over the Grand National fences last year on Frankie Figg, then trained by Johnson, and he retains the ride this afternoon when the gelding, now trained by Paul Nicholls, returns to Merseyside in a bid to repeat his feat of 12 months ago in the £50,000 Betfred Grand Sefton Chase.

A headstong galloper and quick jumper, Frankie Figg, pictured, can be fairly hair-raising around these unique fences, but he gave a tremendous exhibition last year under Hughes when winning by five lengths from Nikola.

He is now set to race off only a 4lb higher mark and, with a race last month under his belt, he promises to make a bold bid to complete back-to-back wins in this famous handicap.

Racegoers and armchair viewers, courtesy of Channel 4 television, can look forward to two races today over the Grand National course.

The other is the £100,000 Betfred Becher Chase, in which Another Palm, one of the Irish raiders, makes plenty of appeal from the foot of the handicap.

Trained by Noel Meade and the mount of the brilliant Paul Carberry, Another Palm was a winner at Fairyhouse at the Irish Grand National meeting before running another sound race to be narrowly beaten at Punchestown.

After a summer break, he has had two races since, an unplaced effort over hurdles and a creditable second in the Cork National, where he was equipped with first-time blinkers.

The headgear is retained today and Another Palm is fancied to become the fourth Irish-trained winner of this race in the last seven years.

The Aintree card is a cracker. Keys, unbeaten in three bumpers last season and also a useful Flat horse, will surely be hard to beat in the opening Jaguar Northern Dealers Maiden Hurdle, while Jim Goldie’s Wyse Hill Teabags, narrowly denied at Haydock a fortnight ago, is fancied to go one better in the Betfred Goals Galore Handicap Hurdle.

Back at Wetherby and the previously mentioned Ewart runner with a solid chance is Frontier Boy, who contests the Racing Again On Boxing Day Novices’ Handicap Chase.

Hughes won on this horse at Sedgefield recently and Dougie Costello now takes the mount. it would be no surprise to see him double-up – 25 minutes before Hughes rides Frankie Figg at Aintree.

The Ollie Pears-trained My Arch, a good second at Musselburgh recently, will relish the extended three miles of the Follow Wetherby Racecourse On Facebook Handicap Hurdle, while the progressive Nine Stories, already proven on this course, is expected to be hard to beat, despite top-weight, in the Constant Security Services Handicap Chase for trainer Chris Grant and jockey Alexander Voy.

As for the featured One Man Novices’ Chase, Nicky Henderson’s useful Bear’s Affair, who unseated his rider last time out, is fancied to gain compensation under Richard Killoran.

• Tomorrow’s nap selection is Richard Fahey’s Our Joe Mac (12.30 Kelso), a York winner in August, who finished an excellent second on his recent hurdling debut at Haydock.

Today’s nap is Wigram’s Turn, in the 9.20pm at Wolverhampton.

racing selections

Wetherby (today)
12.10 Crafti Bookie, 12.45 Bear’s Affair, 1.15 My Arch, 1.45 Nine Stories, 2.20 Zaplamation, 2.55 Frontier Boy, 3.30 George Fernbeck.

Aintree (today)
12.00 Keys, 12.35 Wyse Hill Teabags, 1.05 Comeragh King, 1.35 Beattie Green, 2.10 Another Palm, 2.45 Nacarat, 3.20 Frankie Figg.

Today’s other meetings: Chepstow, Sandown, Wolverhampton.

Tomorrow’s meetings: Kelso and Warwick.