CATTERICK race meeting on Saturday, the biggest of the National Hunt season at the course, is under threat from frost and flooding.

The feature race at Catterick on Saturday is due to be the Alphameric Red Onion Grand National Trial.

Catterick racecourse spokesman John Gundill said: "We have got frost and waterlogging. We had -2C last night and we are due -4C tonight and -5C on tomorrow. The waterlogging is the main concern. As the temperature plummets it is frozen into the surface and so it isn't allowed to drain through."

There will be an inspection of Catterick course at 8.30am tomorrow.

Tomorrow's Newbury jumps meeting is in doubt after heavy rain. There was to be an inspection of the course this afternoon.

Tomorrow's National Hunt meeting at Bangor was given the go-ahead following an inspection this morning.

This afternoon's jumps meeting at Huntingdon was abandoned this morning. Today's Wincanton meeting was called off yesterday.

My Nap selection for tomorrow is the Flat meeting at Southwell's all-weather track, where I fancy Mytton's Again to win division two of the Bet Direct From Littlewoods Handicap.

Alan Bailey's four-year-old won over this course and distance last month, beating Santandre by a cosy one and a half lengths.

Mytton's Again, who has run well in defeat since then, is reunited tomorrow with Tony Culhane, who rode him to victory.

Top-weight of 10st is not expected to prove too much for Teyaar in division one of the Bet Direct On 0800 211 222 Handicap.

Derek Shaw's five-year-old has filled the frame on his last three outings and was a creditable runner-up to the in-form Effervescent at Wolverhampton last week. Neil Callan again has the mount.

Paul Eddery, who will be seen regularly in the north this season, in his new role as first jockey to Hambleton trainer Les Eyre, can win on Bryan Smart's First Steps in the Bet Direct 'Today's Best Bets' Maiden Stakes.

The three-year-old has shown enough in her last couple of starts on the sand to suggest that this one-mile race will be within her compass.

Tomorrow's Tips:

Southwell

1.10 Rimatara

1.40 Teyaar

2.10 Mytton's Again (Nap)

2.40 Pickens, 3.10 Royal Romeo

3.40 First Steps

4.10 James Dee

4.40 Chater Flair

BANGOR

1.45 Europa

2.20 Lord Richfield

2.50 Chopins Revolution

3.20 Ross Minister

3.50 Dr Jazz

4.25 Dare

Updated: 12:03 Thursday, February 08, 2001