Racegoers at Newcastle today are treated to some good-class racing with several potential stars on offer, headed by Grey Shot. A smart stayer on the Flat, Ian Balding's five-year-old bypassed Newbury on Saturday in favour of a less taxing introduction to the jumping game in the Newcastle Flooring And Halstead's Novices' Hurdle and the hint should be taken.
Richard Dunwoody takes the mount on the Jockey Club Cup winner and he can steer the gallant grey to a debut win over timber.
Earlier, Ferdy Murphy saddles French Holly in the Northern Racing Novices' Hurdle and this highly-promising individual should not be missed.
A smart bumper horse, French Holly made his debut over hurdles at Ayr two weeks ago and acquitted himself well, leading two out and running on strongly to account for Legendry Line by five lengths in a two-mile event.
Just the sort to be suited by the extra half mile at Gosforth Park, French Holly, who looks destined to take high rank among the season's novices, looks a good bet to gain another success, albeit at short odds.
But the star of the show looks to be Kings Measure, who was one of the easiest bumper winners seen for a long time when absolutely cruising home at Carlisle earlier this month.
The winning margin of one and a quarter lengths gave no indication of his superiority, as the Malcolm Jefferson-trained gelding sauntered up the straight to defeat C'Mon Tiger. The third was a distance away.
Admittedly that was not the hottest race ever run at the Cumbrian track, but the winner could not be faulted and is open to plenty of improvement.
Kings Measure is napped to demonstrate his potential further with victory in the St Modwen Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race.
Eastern Prophets appears to have sound claims at Lingfield's all-weather fixture.
On his first effort on sand, Geoff Lewis' sprinter finished second of 13, beaten five lengths, behind Forcing Bid over six furlongs at Wolverhampton.
That run followed several disappointing efforts and now that Eastern Prophets has shown signs of a return to form, he can be backed to gain his first win since April in the Antelope Handicap over the minimum trip.
Prolonged rain in the West Country has caused today's meeting at Newton Abbot to be abandoned because of waterlogging.
Clerk of the course Mike Trickey explained: "The track was just about raceable yesterday, but we got another 0.6 inches of rain this morning and that took it to saturation point.
"We have had over four and a half inches of rain since our last meeting on November 18th and though we were raceable yesterday, the latest rain has just tipped the balance."
Sir Peter O'Sullevan (79) has scooped yet another award recognising his 50-year writing and broadcasting career. Just 48 hours after he put down his microphone for the final time following the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup, he received the George Ennor Trophy, which acknowledged his outstanding achievement in horse racing.
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