Chris Dwyer, who spent a large portion of career as a jockey in Malton in the 1970s and early 1980s riding for Jimmy Etherington, Pat Rohan and Frank Carr, is now a well-established Newmarket trainer with a flair for producing a good flow of winners from his small string.

Dwyer heads to Southwell this afternoon with good prospects of figuring on the scoreboard with Hannahs Turn and Tatting, two horses with recent course wins to their credit.

Hannahs Turn scored by no fewer than seven lengths nine days ago, leaving her rivals for dead when scooting away approaching the final furlong.

Shelley Birkett, one of the female apprentice finds of 2013, took the mount that day and Dwyer has booked her again to ride Hannahs Turn in the Compare Bookmakers At bookmakers.co.uk Handicap over five furlongs. A 6lb penalty may not prevent an encore.

Birkett will also be aboard Tatting in the Ladbrokes Apprentice Handicap.

The five-year-old got home by half-a-length from No Win No Fee on his latest start and although he meets that runner-up on 6lb worse terms, he may just have the edge again and contribute to a good afternoon for Dwyer.

Mick Appleby, trainer of No Win No Fee, is unlikely to depart this meeting empty-handed.

He can land the first two races with George Benjamin (12.40), a winner here last month, and Queen Of Skies (1.10), who seemed to appreciate the drop back to this distance of a mile when narrowly beaten by General Tufto two weeks ago.

Powerful Newmarket-based trainer John Gosden hardly sends horses to Southwell for a change of scenery and his decision to saddle Billowing in the 32Red Maiden Fillies’ Stakes should be heeded.

The three-year-old showed a fair level of ability when placed in her two starts last season as a juvenile. This looks a good opportunity to make it third-time-lucky.

At Exeter, Nick Gifford’s runners could be worth waiting for in the final two races on the card.

In the 32RedPoker.com Veterans’ Handicap Chase, Gifford runs Tullamore Dew, who gave notice of an impending success when chasing home the high-class Cloudy Too in the prestigious Rowland Meyrick Chase at Wetherby on Boxing Day. He should take plenty of beating in this three-miler and is awarded the nap vote.

Half-an-hour later, Gifford saddles Catcher Star, who also made the journey to Wetherby’s Christmas meeting and who won by a neck in a thrilling finish.

Catcher Star has been raised 5lb for that success, but the form of his Wetherby win has been franked by the runner-up, Tim Easterby’s Getabuzz, who has since scored in comfortable style at Catterick.


Racing selections

Southwell today
12.40 George Benjamin, 1.10 Queen Of Skies, 1.45 Tatting, 2.20 Day Star Lad, 2.50 Billowing, 3.25 Hannahs Turn, 3.55 Rancho Montoya.

Exeter today
12.55 Ballincurrig, 1.25 Steel City, 2.00 Prideofthecastle, 2.35 Tuskar Rock, 3.05 Allow Dallow, 3.40 Tullamore Dew (NAP), 4.10 Catcher Star.

Tomorrow’s meetings: Kempton, Lingfield, Newbury and Newcastle.