All-weather surface Flat racing is no longer the poor relation to jumping in the winter.

That is illustrated tomorrow when a five-furlongs handicap at Southwell is the richest race on a day when there is also National Hunt racing at Kempton and Hexham.

The Littlewoods Bet Direct Handicap has a purse of £20,000 and a competitive field of 14, the pick of which could well be Trinculo, trained near Easingwold by David Nicholls.

Winner of the corresponding race 12 months ago when trained at Newmarket by Nick Littmoden, Trinculo was bought by Nicholls only last month and has since enjoyed a wide-margin victory in a claiming race at Catterick.

A change of stable often has a startlingly positive effect on horses and Trinculo could well be another example of one being improved by new surroundings. Adrian Nicholls, the trainer's son, is again in the saddle.

Ryedale jockey Robert Winston can win the Bet Direct Handicap on Shape Up, who scored handsomely at Musselburgh a fortnight ago.

My Nap vote goes to King Nicholas in the second division of the Bet Direct Handicap.

Trained at Warthill, near York, by John Parkes, the five-year-old won at Wolverhampton two outings ago and he has since run well in defeat on the same track.

A previous winner at Southwell, King Nicholas should go well under Mark Lawson, who is excellent value for his 5lb allowance.

At Hexham, the £10,000 Showcase Handicap Hurdle offers a chance to Silken Pearls to follow-up her recent course victory.

Len Lungo's mare suffered training problems last season and was restricted to one race, in which she pulled-up. She has returned to action in much better form and the evidence of her latest success suggests she has a fine chance here.

Wednesday's tips:

Southwell

12.00 Locombe Hill, 12.30 Rancho Cucamonga, 1.00 Shape Up, 1.30 Branston Tiger, 2.05 Trinculo, 2.40 Amanda's Lad, 3.15 Spring Breeze, 3.45 King Nicholas (Nap).

Hexham

12.50 Gary's Pimpernel, 1.20 Athollbrose, 1.55 Silken Pearls, 2.30 Native Legend, 3.05 Blue Buster, 3.35 Fashions Monty.

Tomorrow's other race meeting is at Kempton.

Updated: 12:31 Tuesday, November 16, 2004