Tyneside owner Graham Wylie, who saw his colours carried to a brace of victories at Carlisle yesterday, can enjoy an even greater triumph at his local course tomorrow.

He will be represented by Arcalis in the £80,000 Pertemps 'Fighting Fifth' Hurdle at Newcastle and the five-year-old is napped to return to action in a blaze of glory.

Arcalis enjoyed his finest moment last season at the Cheltenham Festival in March when he won the Supreme Novices' Hurdle.

The expected good ground will be ideal for the Howard Johnson-trained gelding tomorrow and Tony Dobbin's mount is fancied to have the edge over Admiral, who won at last Saturday, and Intersky Falcon, a former winner of the 'Fighting Fifth'.

The County Durham trainer had also declared Akilak for the Grade One race, but with conditions drying out at Gosforth Park, soft-ground performer Akilak won't run.

"Akilak is a very good horse on soft or heavy ground but on goodish ground he's not the same," explained Johnson.

The £60,000 Pagebet Rehearsal Chase, formerly staged at Chepstow, has a talented field, the most appealing runner being Brooklyn Breeze, another of Dobbin's mounts.

The eight-year-old, who ended last season with a win at Ayr, started the new one with a hurdles success at Aintree. An early blunder scuppered his chances of making a show in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham last time, but he deserves another chance.

At Newbury, Kandjar d'Allier, temptingly priced at around 14-1, looks a value bet and gets my vote in the £125,000 Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup.

The ex-French gelding has never looked back since joining Alan King and he ran a blinder on his latest start at Cheltenham two weeks ago when finishing third to Our Vic in the Paddy Power Gold Cup.

Running off the same mark tomorrow, Kanjar d'Allier has to prove his stamina over this longer distance, but his style of racing suggests he'll stay and, at his price, he makes plenty of appeal.

The Ballymore Properties Long Distance Hurdle features a fascinating clash between Inglis Drever and Baracouda, who finished first and second respectively in the World Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.

I fancy Inglis Drever to confirm his superiority over the French raider, the outstanding stayer of recent years but who is approaching the twilight of his career.

Inglis Drever confirmed his well-being when winning the John Smith's Hurdle at Wetherby last month and, although more will be required to win here, he is more than capable of bagging this major prize.

Saturday's tips

Newcastle

12.15 Dennick, 12.50 Place Above, 1.20 Wild Cane Ridge, 1.50 Ungaro, 2.25 Oso Magic, 3.00 Brooklyn Breeze, 3.30 Arcalis (Nap).

Newbury

12.35 Able Baker Charlie, 1.05 Kawagino, 1.35 Dempsey, 2.05 Inglis Drever,

2.40 Kandjar d'Allier, 3.15 Black de Bessy, 3.50 Phar Bleu.

Tomorrow's other meetings are at Lingfield, Towcester (inspection at 8am) and Wolverhampton (evening).

Updated: 12:08 Friday, November 25, 2005