It's road-test time for Timmy Murphy at Wincanton tomorrow as he bids to prove his fitness in time for next week's Cheltenham Festival.

A troublesome shoulder injury has kept the jockey out of action for ten days, but time is now running out and his boss Paul Nicholls, who has more than two dozen runners at Cheltenham, requires Murphy to go through a dress-rehearsal before the all-important Festival meeting.

The upshot is that Murphy will have two rides over hurdles tomorrow and then take in a full day of racing at Sandown on Saturday to prove to himself - and to Nicholls - that he is 100 per cent fit in readiness for Cheltenham.

Murphy has excellent prospects of figuring on the scoresheet at Wincanton. He teams up with Nicholls' well-regarded El Divino in the Bradsons Event Services Maiden Hurdle (Div II) and also Candarli, trained by David Gandolfo, in the Tommy Wallis Handicap Hurdle.

El Divino was a faller on his hurdles debut, but was sent off favourite that day, which gives some indication of his home reputation.

As for Candarli, he has had only three outings in his career and now tackles handicap company for the first time.

Both horses promise to do their bit on Murphy's behalf.

The £10,000 Wincanton plc Handicap Chase offers Tom Costalot the opportunity to continue his purple patch.

Sue Knock's gelding has improved out of all recognition this winter and has rattled up a hat-trick of wins.

Still on the upgrade, he is fancied to take all the beating in the hands of Anthony Evans, who has struck up such a wonderful rapport with the seven-year-old.

Ibis Rochelais gets the nap vote in the Summer Breaks Novices' Chase.

A creditable runner-up to the highly-regarded Poliantas at Sandown three weeks ago, Leighton Aspell's mount would only need to reproduce that level of form to go one better here.

At Towcester, Brambly Hedge promises to be a thorn in the side of his rivals in the Betfair.com Novices' Chase.

Two wins from his last three outings illustrate the well-being of Nigel Twiston Davies' gelding, who is a previous scorer over this course and distance. Carl Llewellyn takes the mount as usual.

Maninga has strong claims in the Shutlanger Mares' Only Novices' Hurdle.

Jimmy McCarthy's mount got her head in front four weeks ago at Wincanton when scoring by five lengths from the favourite, Two For Joy. She can follow up here.

Tomorrow's tips:

WINCANTON

1.55 Joly Bois

2-25 El Divino

2-55 Ibis Rochelais (NAP)

3-25 Candarli

3-55 Tom Costalot

4-25 Team Captain

4-55 Au Lac

Towcester

2-10 Maninga

2-40 Brambly Hedge

3-10 Gun Shot

3-40 Fandango de Chassy

4-10 Segeant's Inn

4-40 Pendragon

5-10 Toulon Rouge

Updated: 12:27 Wednesday, March 06, 2002