Mr Wolf, who has a course record second to none at Pontefract, is fancied to notch his first success of the campaign at his favourite venue tomorrow in a race named in memory of one of the north’s most popular handicappers in the last 25 years.

Chaplins Club, trained by the late David Chapman, was a prolific winner who twice won nine handicaps in a single season and the race in his honour could hardly have a more fitting winner than Mr Wolf, who has already won eight times at Pontefract, where he, too, has a race named after him.

Trained by John Quinn, Mr Wolf, now a ten-year-old, is not the force he once was, but he remains a hard horse to catch especially on this track, as he proved on his latest start. Typically fast away, he blazed the trail until he was collared in the dying strides and narrowly beaten by Port Ronan.

The two horses clash again and, with Port Ronan having to carry a 6lb penalty, Mr Wolf has his chance of gaining revenge. It’s a tight handicap, with plenty of others in the line-up with chances, but Mr Wolf is expected to make a bold bid under Tom Eaves.

The £12,500 totepool A Better Way To Bet Handicap is the most valuable race on the card and it would be unwise to overlook War Poet from the David O’Meara yard.

The well-related four-year-old may have found himself out of his depth in the fiercely competitive Old Newton Cup at Haydock last time out, but he’d previously shown himself to be a most progressive performer. He is not a horse to understimate.

Jade could prove the answer to the Book Your Family Tickets For 14th August Handicap.

The three-year-old, trained by Ollie Pears, has yet to win this season, but she has run some good races in defeat and is a previous winner on this course. Paul Hanagan has the mount.

Norton-based Pears also has winning chances with Sir George (4.40) and Sound Amigo (5.10), provided the pair, both mounts of Barry McHugh, return to something like their best form. The latter had looked a horse to follow until flopping at Sandown last time in a display simply too bad to be true.

At Newcastle, Little Jimmy Odsox bids to complete a hat-trick of wins for Tim Easterby in the Traders Betting Exchange Handicap.

The three-year-old, unraced as a juvenile, is quickly making up for lost time. He won on his debut at Doncaster and has since followed up in handicap company at Redcar.

Despite still learning his job and lacking in experience, Little Jimmy Odsox is plainly talented and he promises to take plenty of beating in this five-furlong dash on a course which should suit him. David Allan has the mount.

Allan can also win the Ignition Festival Nursery on Act Your Shoe Size, trained by Keith Dalgleish, and a gutsy winner at Catterick two weeks ago. The two-year-old is napped to oblige.

Mick Easterby’s in-form Istiqdaam (3.50) and Falcun (4.20), who is overdue a winning turn for Micky Hammond, are two others to note at Gosforth Park.

Racing selections

Pontefract

2.10 Emperor Of Rome, 2.40 Heeraat, 3.10 Jade, 3.40 War Poet, 4.10 Mr Wolf, 4.40 Sir George, 5.10 Sound Amigo.

Newcastle

2.20 Act Your Shoe Size (NAP), 2.50 Colbyor, 3.20 Little Jimmy Odsox, 3.50 Istiqdaam, 4.20 Falcun, 4.50 Just Sam, 5.20 Media Stars.

Tomorrow’s other meetings

Brighton, Kempton and Yarmouth.

Today’s meetings

Bath, Cattrick, Ffos Las and Southwell.