Middleham trainer Ferdy Murphy and his crack amateur rider John McNamara, who joined forces to complete a four-timer at Musselburgh last month, return to the course tomorrow with excellent prospects of adding to their score.

Racecourse officials this morning cancelled the track inspection they had intended for this afternoon.

Clerk of the course Bill Farnsworth said: "The frost has come out of the ground and there are no problems. The lot of rain forecast is not a worry, but we expect the ground to turn softer."

Murphy saddles Oscail An Doras in the Stakis Maybury Casino Madison Bar Handicap Chase.

A useful campaigner before suffering leg trouble and spending all last season on the sidelines, Oscail An Doras has bounced back this season and was a winner last time out at Huntingdon on Boxing Day.

The ten-year-old went to the front at the fourth-last fence and stuck to his guns in the closing stages to beat Machalini by one and threequarter lengths.

From a stable in tip-top form, Oscail An Doras is napped to oblige again here.

Hunting Slane can carry on his successful campaign by landing his second Musselburgh win in the Stakis Maybury Casino Manhattan Room Handicap Hurdle.

Chris Grant's gelding reverted to two miles and three furlongs to score narrowly at Catterick last week, but had previously run out a decisive winner over this course and distance. A 5lb penalty should not hamper this progressive gelding tomorrow.

The Stakis Maybury Casino Charleston Restaurant Novices' Chase offers the opportunity to Amlwch to get back on the winning trail.Jack Berry's charge scored at Doncaster two outings ago and was only just beaten by Balleswhidden in a handicap at Catterick last week.

A horse who travels strongly through his races, he should be well suited by this sharp course and is fancied to give Brendan Powell his first Musselburgh victory.

Es Go looks the answer to division one of the Stakis Casinos Series Novices' Hurdle.

Robin Bastiman's gelding opened his account with a very easy win at Catterick on New Year's Eve. Running in this race tomorrow instead od the novices' handicap, the hint should be taken.

Jimmy FitzGerald sends Oversman to Musselburgh for the Stakis Maybury Casino Selling Handicap Hurdle and victory looks likely.

The gelding is not one to trust implicitly, but he scored over this course and distance on his latest start and a follow-up looks likely tomorrow.

Savill touts for Tote takeover

British Horseracing Board chairman Peter Savill has asked the Government to give control of the Tote to the BHB.

Speaking at the BHB Industry Forum in London, Savill said he wants the transfer to be made without consideration, stressing "the Tote was founded specifically 'to raise money for horseracing"'.

He said he had sent letters to this effect to Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown and Home Secretary Jack Straw.

Tomorrow's tips

MUSSELBURGH

12.40......................................Es Go

1.10...............................Finewood

1 .40..............................Oversman

2.10..................................Amlwch

2.40.............................John Bush

3.10.........Oscail An Doras (Nap)

3.40.......................Hunting Slane

FOLKESTONE

1.00................................Amoroso

1.30.................Head For Heaven

2.00............................Park Royal

2.30.....................................Scavo

3.00.......................Falmouth Bay

3.30.............................River Gala

4.00............................Crack Shot

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.