Paul Nicholls, ante-post favourite to topple Martin Pipe from his perch as the season's leading trainer, can take the top honours at Wetherby tomorrow.

Nicholls sends Valley Henry north from his West-Country base to contest the bet365 Charlie Hall Chase, and this high-class performer looks poised to clinch this £60,000 event.

Winner of the Desert Orchid Chase and the Aon Chase last season, Valley Henry also finished fourth to Best Mate in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, when the step up to three and a quarter miles seemed just too far for him.

Marlborough, trained by Nicky Henderson, won this race last year after Mick Fitzgerald performed miracles in staying in the saddle after the pair almost parted company early in the race.

I expect Marlborough to make another good effort, but the gelding has been consistently beaten by Valley Henry on previous occasions they've met and I think the same is likely to happen tomorrow.

The £30,000 John Smith's Hurdle, the main supporting race to the Charlie Hall Chase, is the target for North Yorkshire hope Gralmano, who will have the services of Graham Lee.

Hambleton, near Thirsk, trainer Kevin Ryan's versatile gelding was narrowly beaten on the Flat at Doncaster last week, an outing which should have teed him up nicely for tomorrow's race.

Although he has something to find on figures, he has no worries about fitness, which is the most crucial requirement at this relatively early part of the campaign.

Ryan could also go close with Petrula in the November Novices' Hurdle. The four-year-old, a winner on the Flat this season, failed to jump fluently enough to win at Sedgefield last month, but that experience will not have been lost on him.

On the Flat at Newmarket, Grand Passion, my selection in the Cambridgeshire Handicap earlier this month, is worth a chance in the Ben Marshall Stakes.

Finished Article, a very capable horse on his day, is napped to come out on top at decent odds in the wide-open betdirect.co.uk Mile Handicap.

Saturday's tips:

Wetherby

1.05 Lodestar, 1.40 Howle Hill, 2.10 Valley Henry, 2.40 Personal Assurance, 3.15 Gralmano, 3.50 Korakor, 4.20 Petrula.

Newmarket

11.45 Bayhirr, 12.15 First Of May, 12.45 Peeress, 1.20 Silent Hawk, 1.55 Cohn Blue, 2.25 Grand Passion, 3.00 Finished Article (Nap), 3.30 Shalaya, 4.05 Dorchester.

Ascot

12.40 Fantastic Champion, 1.15 Chicuelo, 1.45 Don't Sioux Me, 2.15 Tamango, 2.50 Roman Court, 3.25 Genuine Article, 4.00 Red Wizard.

Tomorrow's other meetings are at Kelso and Wolverhampton.

Updated: 12:25 Friday, October 31, 2003