Dock Tower, who went close to scoring a shock victory on his most recent visit to Wetherby, returns to the course tomorrow in a bid to prove that his latest effort was no fluke.
Trained near Market Weighton by Mike Sowersby, the three-year-old will be partnered by Graham Lee in the Juvenile Novices' Hurdle and has strong claims on the strength of his performance last month.
Starting at 40-1, Dock Tower almost belied those odds in sensational style in a Listed-race on Charlie Hall Chase day when going down by only a length to Aviation.
A reproduction of that form tomorrow should enable Dock Tower to make a bold bid to go one better. Alas, he won't be 40-1 this time.
Manbow, another of Lee's mounts, has a lot of appeal in the Wetherby Races Next Saturday Handicap Chase.
A most progressive performer last season, when his successes included one on this course, Manbow finished a highly creditable runner-up on his reappearance at Haydock last month. Sure to have benefited from that outing, he is awarded my Nap vote this time.
Middleham trainer Ferdy Murphy has a very high opinion of L'Antartique, who runs in the Rocom And BT Network First Novices' Hurdle.
The five-year-old cruised home a very easy winner at Haydock on his latest start and looks an above-average performer, with the potential to get even better.
Stillington trainer Harry Hogarth has an up-and-coming performer in Encore Cadoudal, who is fancied to gain his second success of the campaign by taking the Wetherby Boxing Day Handicap Chase over two miles.
David O'Meara's mount is very much at home over this distance with give in the ground, as he showed when winning in workmanlike fashion at Ayr earlier this month.
The Harry Atkinson Memorial Beginners' Chase offers Bewleys Berry the chance to make a winning start to his fencing career.
Howard Johnson's strapping gelding created a good impression over hurdles last season before his form tapered-off. He remains an exciting prospect over the major obstacles and commands respect from a stable which is returning to form.
At Chepstow, Paul Nicholls and Ruby Walsh can dominate both divisions of the Weatherbys National Hunt Novices' Hurdle. The formidable partnership will be strongly represented by Micky Cole (12.30) and Gungadu (1.05), two horses who could have lucrative campaigns this winter.
Wednesday's tips
Wetherby
12.25 Brandy Wine, 12.55 Bewleys Berry, 1.25 Dock Tower, 2.00 Encore Cadoudal, 2.35 L'Antartique, 3.10 Manbow (Nap), 3.40 Zaffie Parson.
Chepstow
12.30 Micky Cole, 1.05 Gungadu, 1.35 Rojabaa, 2.10 Uncle Max, 2.45 Tirikumba, 3.20 Alcopop, 3.55 Wee Anthony.
Tomorrow's other meeting is at Lingfield (National Hunt card. Inspection this afternoon, course frozen in places).
Updated: 11:22 Tuesday, November 22, 2005
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