Trainer Kim Bailey, on the mark at Doncaster yesterday with Wonder Weasel, can add to his score at Huntingdon tomorrow if the meeting survives.
There was a heavy frost there last night and another is forecast tonight. The course will be inspected at 7.30am tomorrow morning.
Tomorrow's National Hunt meeting at Newcastle is in doubt because of frost. The course was to be inspected this afternoon.
Bailey saddles Mount Prague in the Kitty Ward Thomas Novices' Chase and I fancy Robert Thornton's mount to prevail.
Mount Prague will be racing on familiar terrain, having scored over this course and distance on Boxing Day.
Sent off at 7-1 on that occasion, the gelding ran on strongly from the final fence to win by 21 lengths in a style which suggested further success would come his way. Mount Prague can confirm that impression by winning tomorrow.
On the same track, Brave Highlander, who recently celebrated his 13th birthday, can prove he is no back-number.
The Josh Gifford-trained gelding goes for the Mike Fochtmann 60th Birthday Celebration Handicap Chase and is fancied to record a deserved success.
A useful performer on his day, as he showed when finishing fourth in last year's Martell Grand National and fifth in the Whitbread Gold Cup, Brave Highlander gave notice that he still has a fair amount of ability at Kempton's Christmas meeting.
After making most of the running, he eventually finished fourth to Eau de Cologne in a three-miles handicap.
A sprightly teenager, Brave Highlander can show his juniors a clean pair of heels tomorrow.
Ballygarvan gets my vote in the Cambridge United Handicap Hurdle.
Chris Kinane's six-year-old shaped well over this course and distance three weeks ago to finish a four lengths second to Golden Rose, the 15-8 favourite.
A reproduction of that effort may be good enough to enable him to go one better this time.
Henrietta Knight has her string in good form and the Wantage trainer has good prospects of enjoying a profitable afternoon at Huntingdon. She can score with Impek (1.00), Hardly (1.30) and Celtic Season (3.30).
On the sand at Lingfield, Prince Nico is napped to defy a penalty in the Comet Handicap over six furlongs. Rae Guest's gelding scored convincingly over the minimum distance on this course last week when beating Krystal Max by three lengths.
Tomorrow's extra furlong should not inconvenience him and he looks capable of shrugging-off a 6lb penalty. Jimmy Quinn again has the mount.
Dane Dancing, another recent winner, can oblige for Alan Berry in the Supercheque Handicap.
White Plains, who makes the journey from David Barron's yard near Thirsk, has solid prospects in the £12,000 Tote Trifecta 1-2-3 Handicap. Neil Callan has the mount on the North Yorkshire raider.
Huntingdon
1.00 - Impek
1.30 - Hardly
2.00 - Ballygarvan
2.30 - Mount Prague
3.00 - Brave Highlander
3.30 - Celtic Season
4.00 - Bramble Fair
Lingfield
1.10 - There With Me
1.40 - Prince Prospect
2.10 - Dane Dancing
2.40 - Hurlingham Star
3.10 - White Plains
3.40 - Prince Nico (Nap)
Updated: 15:30 Tuesday, January 16, 2001
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