JOHN QUINN has good prospects of winners at Wetherby and Cheltenham this afternoon.

The Norton trainer who has a useful bunch of jumpers under his care, is fancied to hit the target at his local course with Arthurs Secret and at Cheltenham with L'Aigle Royal.

Arthurs Secret made his hurdling bow at Wetherby last month and shaped with conspicuous promise to finish second to the potentially smart Fort Worth. That experience will not have been wasted on Arthurs Secret, a dual-winner on the Flat, who is selected to go one better in the 100% RacingUK Profits Returned To Racing Novices' Hurdle.

Quinn has much bigger fish to fry at Cheltenham with L'Aigle Royal, who lines up in the £30,000 JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial.

The French recruit scored on his British debut at Sedgefield by a wide margin and thoroughly deserves this step up in class. This looks a deep race, but L'Aigle Royal looks exciting and is fancied to make his journey to Prestbury Park well worthwhile.

Micky Hammond has a good chance of winning the Follow Scoop6 At totepooliveinfo.com Handicap Hurdle.

A good second to the useful Lightening Rod over this course and distance a fortnight ago, Joe Colliver's mount is taken to go one better.

What A Good Night can win the Wetherby feature, the totescoop6 The Millionaire Maker Handicap Chase for Dan Skelton.

A winner at Uttoxeter on his reappearance, What A Good Night looked sure to follow up at Southwell on his latest start but fell at the second last fence when a long way clear and with the race at his mercy. The handicapper has since raised his mark by more than a stone, but he remains a horse to keep on the right side.

Middleham trainer Phil Kirby has a high opinion of Lady Buttons, who won a bumper on this course last season and who went on to be narrowly denied at Aintree's Grand National meeting.

The four-year-old made a winning start over timber at Worcester last month and is now set to tackle the Racing UK Mares' Only Novices' Hurdle. She is napped to follow up.

Also worth noting at Wetherby are Brian Ellison's Yorkist (12.55), who was readied for this switch to fences with a recent run over hurdles at Musselburgh, and Embsay Crag (1.30), another Kirby runner, who finished a good third to Secrete Stream here a fortnight ago.

The £160,000 Paddy Power Gold Cup is the feature race at Cheltenham and although Malcolm Jefferson's Attaglance, fourth in this race last year, is expected to go well under Brian Hughes, preference is for Persian Snow.

Trained by the in-form Philip Hobbs, the gelding finished an excellent second to Johns Spirit - winner of this race last year - on this course last month. He is now set to meet the penalised Johns Spirit on more favourable terms and can be expected to make a bold bid under Richard Johnson.

David Pipe introduces Kings Castle in the Cheltenham Club Novices' Chase.

A 150-rated hurdler and the winner of three of his four starts over the minor obstacles last season, Kings Castle has the right profile to make a high-class novice over fences. Tom Scudamore has the mount.

Also worthy of attention are recent Huntingdon winner The Druids Nephew (1.50) and the promising Vivaldi Collonges (3.00), who was narrowly beaten on this course four weeks ago and is considered capable of going one better for Paul Nicholls.

 

Selections

Wetherby today
12.25 Lady Buttons (NAP), 12.55 Yorkist, 1.30 Embsay Crag, 2.05 What A Good Night, 2.40 Arthurs Secret, 3.15 Pertuis, 3.50 Have You Had Yours.

Cheltenham today
12.40 Rayak, 1.15 Kings Palace, 1.50 The Druids Nephew, 2.30 Persian Snow, 3.00 Vivaldi Collonges, 3.35 L’Aigle Royal, 4.05 Daring Carlotta.

Today’s other meetings
Uttoxeter, Lingfield and Wolverhampton.

Tomorrow’s meetings
Cheltenham and Fontwell.