POSITIVE Profile can live up to his name by emerging triumphant at Doncaster tomorrow on the final Sunday racing before Christmas.
The gelding, trained at Middleham by Patrick Haslam, goes for the Daily Concession on Bet attheraces Handicap Hurdle and will be partnered by Robert Thornton.
Positive Profile, a useful horse on the Flat, broke his maiden over hurdles, with Thornton on board, at Kelso last time.
That was only a modest novices' hurdle, but the five-year-old could do no more than win, which he did in pleasing style over the minimim trip.
A stayer on the Flat, Positive Profile will benefit from the step-up to almost two-and-a-half miles tomorrrow. He should take plenty of beating.
Sue Smith is going great guns this season and the Bingley trainer can add to her tally of wins, courtesy of The Kew Tour in the Bet Attheraces Novices' Chase.
The seven-year-old got off the mark over fences at Wetherby earlier in the month and looks a decent prospect in the making.
Mary Reveley is beginning to reach top gear for the season and the Saltburn trainer has good prospects with Magical Field in the Sports Betting on Attheraces Mares' Only Novices' Hurdle.
The five-year-old showed enough in three outings last term to suggest she ought to go well in a race of this calibre. Reveley's newcomer Golden Odyssey (3-30) is also worth a second look in the bumper.
Ichi Beau did well to win at Aintree recently, but Ferdy Murphy's charge may be foiled in his follow-up bid in the betatthecasino.co.uk Handicap Chase by Kety Star.
Venetia Williams' charge is nothing if not consistent and, with age on his side, he is fancied to have the edge on Ichi Beau.
At Newbury, Claude Greengrass gets the nap vote in the Lexus LS430 Novices' Handicap Chase.
A winner over hurdles at Carlisle last time, the gelding now tackles fences, but is sure to have been well schooled by in-form trainer Jonjo O'Neill.
A winning debut over the major obstacles is anticipated for Claude Greengrass, who will have the assistance of Liam Cooper.
O'Neill and Cooper also have a strong representative in the stanjames.com Novices' Chase, with Native Emperor.
A high-class staying hurdler, the seven-year-old has every chance of proving equally effective now that his attentions are being turned to chasing.
The £20,000 Hennessy Cognac Showcase Handicap Hurdle has attracted a competitive line-up, the pick of which could prove to be Tom Paddington.
A dual-winner over hurdles two seasons ago, Hughie Morrison's gelding missed the whole of last term, but has since returned to action on the Flat this autumn, and has been in good form.
Now back over hurdles, Jim Culloty's mount should give a good acccount of himself.
Also worth noting is a newcomer from the Nicky Henderson stable in the Systems By Design National Hunt Flat Race. Shining Strand, the mount of Mick Fitzgerald, carries the colours of Her Majesty the Queen, and is reported to be pretty smart.
Tomorrow's tips
DONCASTER
12-45 Highland Tracker, 1-20 Positive Profile, 1-50 The Kew Tour, 2-25 Magical Field, 3-00 Kety Star, 3-30 Golden Odyssey
NEWBURY
12-30 Major Speculation, 1-05 Claude Greengrass (NAP), 1-35 Native Emperor, 2-10 Tom Paddington, 2-40 Handyman, 3-15 King Player, 3-45 Shining Strand
There are no other meetings tomorrow.
Updated: 08:52 Saturday, November 29, 2003
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