MICK Easterby, having tempted top jockey Paul Carberry from Ireland with the prospect of riding two winners at Newcastle tomorrow, is expected to deliver the goods on a course where he saddled a treble earlier this month.
Noshinannikin and Minster Glory, who contributed to that three-handed spree, are out again and, with the brilliant Carberry on board, both horses are fancied to oblige.
Noshinannikin lines-up for the EBF Joe Wake 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle and looks capable of defying a 5lb penalty for his recent course success.
That victory, on his hurdling debut, was achieved with the minimum of fuss, the four-year-old coming home ten lengths clear of runner-up Formidable Parner.
Tackling the same distance tomorrow, Noshinannikin gets a confident nap vote.
Carberry currently second in the Irish Jockeys' Championship will also be aboard Easterby's Minster Glory in the John Wilkinson Handicap Chase.
This free-running seven-year-old made virtually all the running when successful over this course and distance earlier in the month, and had five lengths in hand of Issyin at the line.
That was his first outing of the campaign and, with further improvement likely, Minster Glory can follow-up here.
House Captain can lift the Andy Barker Novices' Chase for Jimmy FitzGerald and Russ Garritty.
This former high-class hurdler made an impressive start to his fencing career at Sedgefield 12 days ago, jumping really well and scoring in decisive fashion by 11 lengths from Into The Black.
Tomorrow's slightly longer distance will not inconvenience House Captain in the slightest, and he is expected to take all the beating.
Cottstown Boy has excellent prospects in the John Collier Handicap Hurdle over three miles.
The Sue Bradburne-trained gelding bounced back to form with a gutsy effort at Ayr last time when he battled on bravely to beat Globe Runner by half a length, the pair finishing 20 lengths clear of the other four runners.
At Newton Abbot, Master Chet can maintain the first-class form of trainer Venetia Williams and jockey Norman Williamson - successful with the tipped Teeton Mill in Saturday's Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury - by winning the Tote Handicap Chase.
Confined to only two races last season, Master Chet made a victorious comeback at Towcester last month when beating Folly Road by an easy three lengths.
He looks capable of further improvement and is fancied to capture this £10,000 event.
Richard Dunwoody, another in excellent form at Newbury on Saturday, when he rode the first three winners, can also find the scoresheet at Newton Abbott.
The former champion jockey teams-up with Shadirwan in the Walrus Handicap Hurdle and the seven-year-old is selected to step up on his recent second-placed effort behind Native Field over this course and distance.
James Fanshawe has admitted that it was probably a mistake to run The Toiseach in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup.
His charge, sent off 5-1 joint second favourite, was behind when pulled up in the Newbury showpiece on Saturday.
And the trainer reckons the gelding suffered from making a quick return to action, just seven days after his winning reappearance at Ascot.
"The ground was very soft but the main thing was the race came a bit quick for him after Ascot," said Fanshawe. "It was obviously the wrong decision to run."
MILL COULD GO FOR ASCOT RACE
CHASING'S newest star Teeton Mill could return to action a fortnight on Saturday.
Ross-on-Wye trainer Venetia Williams has pencilled in a tilt at Ascot's Betterware Cup for her grey who romped to victory in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury last Saturday.
The Betterware was won 12 months ago by subsequent Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Cool Dawn, and Teeton Mill is quoted at just 14-1 by William Hill to follow suit next March.
But Miss Williams confirmed that the Martell Grand National is likely to remain the major spring target for the nine-year-old, who is offered at 16-1 for Aintree victory by Hills.
"The plan has always been the Grand National and I wouldn't imagine that would have changed," she said. "But I haven't spoken to his owners, The Winning Line.
"Teeton Mill is fine and he could possibly run next in the Betterware Cup at Ascot. That's over a slightly shorter trip but he had no problem with the pace on Saturday."
Jump jockey Michael Brennan is relieved to have escaped serious injury in a heavy fall at Warwick.
X-rays have shown he broke no bones when crashing out on Seattle Alley on Saturday and the Irishman hopes to be back in action as soon as Wednesday.
"I landed on the top of my head and my head was pressed into my chest but I have just hurt muscles and ligaments in my neck and the top half of my back," he said.
Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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