Tom Paddington can take advantage of the massive weight concession he receives from reigning champion Rooster Booster in tomorrow's £125,000 Tote Gold Trophy Hurdle, the highlight of a top-class card at Newbury.

The mount of Timmy Murphy, Tom Paddington will carry 10st in this hugely competitive race. That is 26lb less than Rooster Booster, who, for all his mighty exploits, faces a daunting task under such a burden.

Winner of three of his five starts over hurdles, Tom Paddington, trained by Hughie Morrison, can be excused his two defeats, having pulled-up lame first time and fallen on his latest outing.

A horse who goes well on this course, Tom Paddington has dangers in abundance in such a wide-open race but I fancy that Morrison, a fine trainer who has had this target in mind for some time, to hit the jackpot with my Nap selection.

All eyes will be on Keen Leader in the Aon Chase, which has a £70,000 purse.

Jonjo O'Neill's very talented gelding gave a copybook round of jumping on his latest start, at Haydock in December. But his fencing technique has not always withstood the test and he was a casualty on his reapperance this season at Chepstow.

A clear round is required tomorrow for Keen Leader to bolster his reputation and set O'Neill the poser of whether to send him to Cheltenham next month to take on Best Mate in the Gold Cup. Liam Cooper is in the hot-seat.

Azertyuiop will be hard to beat in the £55,000 Queen Mother Memorial Fund Game Spirit Chase.

Paul Nicholls' star two-miler produced a wonderful performance in defeat at Ascot last time when finishing second to Isio in the Victor Chandler Chase when attempting to concede the useful winner no less than 19lb.

At Haydock, Iris's Gift returns to action in the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle (Qualifier). A high-class 'bumper' horse, Iris's Gift developed into an even better hurdler last season and was narrowly denied by Baracouda in the Stayers' Championship at Cheltenham.

He is different class to his rivals here, but, as such, he is forced to concede hefty margins of weight, and the other negative is, that he goes into battle after a lengthy absence. Hopefully, his class will prevail, and Barry Geraghty journeys over from Ireland to take the mount on the Jonjo O'Neill-trained gelding.

Tim Easterby will be pleased to see soft ground forecast for Haydock on behalf of Kentucky Blue in the Victor Ludorum Hurdle.

The four-year-old, a confirmed mudlover, has won both his completed starts over hurdles and might also have scored at Wetherby's Christmas meeting had he not fallen at the final flight when battling with King Revo.

King Revo is in the field again tomorrow, but Kentucky Blue, the mount of Russ Garritty, is fancied to gain his revenge.

Tomorrow's tips:

Newbury

1.10 Mister Banjo, 1.40 Quick, 2.10 Azertyuiop, 2.45 Tom Paddington (Nap), 3.20 Keen Leader, 3.55 Vintage Premium, 4.25 Celtic Son.

Haydock

1.55 Iris's Gift, 2.25 The Kew Tour, 2.55 Kentucky Blue, 3.30 Coursing Run, 4.00 Colourful Life, 4.35 Master Wood, 5.05 He's The Boss.

Tomorrow's other meetings are at Ayr, Lingfield and Wolverhampton.

Updated: 12:30 Friday, February 13, 2004