BRIAN ELLISON makes the short journey from his Norton base to Wetherby today with good prospects of completing a double with The Grey Taylor and Top Of The Glas.
The former, previously trained by Steve Gollings, won on this course four weeks ago when beating Chieftain's Choice in determined style after the pair had drawn well clear of the remainder of the field. That form has since been franked by the John Quinn-trained runner-up, who won by a wide margin at Hexham last week.
The Grey Taylor has a penalty to overcome in the IJF 50th Anniversary Novices' Hurdle and is opposed by 15 rivals, including the potentially smart Ma Du Four, who won his bumper on this course on his only previous appearance. With Richard Johnson booked to renew his partnership, The Grey Taylor is fancied to win again.
Top Of The Glas runs in the Join The Racing UK Club Juvenile Maiden Hurdle with Danny Cook on board.
The three-year-old landed a valuable handicap on the Flat at Chester in August and made an encouraging start to his hurdling career when runner-up at Bangor a fortnight ago.
He is napped to build on that performance here and go one better, perhaps at the main expense of John Quinn's Final Countdown, runner-up in all his three starts over timber.
Richad Johnson has journeyed north particularly to ride If In Doubt in the Watch On 3 Devices racinguk.com Beginners' Chase.
Trained by Philip Hobbs, whose horses are in tremendous form, this high-class hurdler unseated Tony McCoy at the second fence on his chasing debut at Exeter three weeks ago.
A clear round is now required from If In Doubt, who reached a mark of 139 over hurdles. He has the make and shape of a chaser and deserves another chance.
In the £10,000 William Hill Yorkshire Winter Festival Handicap Chase, Back To Bracka is expected to do better that on his fencing bow at Carlisle a couple of weeks ago.
Lucinda Russell's charge was in deep last time when finishing unplaced in the race won by Stopped Out. This is slightly less demanding stuff and this hurdles winner should produce a more competitive showing this afternoon.
Also worth noting at Wetherby are David Pipe's Smiles For Miles (3.00), a convincing winner at Chepstow last week, and newcomer Carinena (3.30), who hails from the Nicky Richards' stable which has been winning a lot of similar bumpers in recent weeks. The Cumbrian trainer clearly has some useful youngsters under his care.
North Yorkshire jockey George Chaloner journeys to Kempton's evening meeting with a solid chance of landing one of the feature races on the card.
Chaloner teams up with Pipers Note for Leeds trainer Richard Whitaker and looks sure to be involved in the shake-up of the £19,000 BetBright - Live The Moment Handicap over six furlongs. Pipers Note has been in good heart lately, finishing second on his last two starts, here and at Wolverhampton. Few would begrudge him a winning turn.
The £40,000 BetBright.com Wild Flower Stakes takes pride of place on the Kempton programme and is the target of French raider Billabong, trained by Pascal Bary.
The five-year-old has won nine of his 12 starts on an artificial surface and is a smart performer. He should run a big race.
Others worthy of interest are the in-form Archie's Advice (4.45), the mount of North Yorkshire jockey Joe Fanning, and the promising Kokovoko (6.15).
Racing selections
Wetherby today
12.15 Leath Acra Mor, 12.50 If In Doubt, 1.20 The Grey Taylor, 1.50 Back To Bracka, 2.25 Top Of The Glas (NAP), 3.00 Smiles For Miles, 3.30 Carinena.
Kempton today
4.15 Jebediah Shine, 4.45 Zee King, 5.15 Ershaad, 5.45 Secret Glance, 6.15 Kokovoko, 6.45 Billabong, 7.15 Pipers Note, 7.45 Habeshia.
Today's other meetings: Fontwell and Lingfield.
Tomorrow's meetings: Uttoxeter, Kempton, Newbury and Taunton.
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