MARTIN'S LAMP can confirm the promise he showed on his seasonal debut by taking the Grade Two Victor Chandler Handicap Chase over two miles at Ascot today. On his reappearance, the Martinmas gelding showed himself to be a smart chaser by finishing four lengths second to Front Street over course and distance last month.

Since betting started on the race, Front Street has been Martin's Lamp's main rival for favouritism, although the David Nicholson runner will be nine pounds better off for a four length beating today. The nine year old has been lightly raced throughout his career and has only had five outings over fences.

His best run as a novice came in the Grade One Maghull Novices' Chase at the Grand National meeting when he ran well to finish third to Morceli, beaten two and a half lengths. Having a relatively low mileage, Martin's Lamp will therefore be open to considerable improvement and is taken to gain his second chase victory at the main expense of Front Street.

On the same card, Francois Doumen saddles the very promising So Far Bold in the Peter Ross Novices' Chase over an extended three miles. It is significant that Jamie Osborne has been engaged to ride the six year old, as the French trainer tends to use his own jockeys for his raiders.

Since his last race when winning the £60,000 Prix Montgomery at Auteuil in October, So Far Bold has made two cross Channel trips. However, both journeys proved wasted when the meeting at Lingfield in early December and Kempton's Stephen's Day fixture were abandoned.

It should be third time lucky for the highly rated gelding with no expected weather problems for today's card. So Far Bold is the selection to take this staying event at the main expense of the enigmatic Harwell Lad.

In the concluding Teal and Green Handicap Hurdle, Nicky Henderson's improving Cheryl's Lad is taken to complete his hat trick following impressive wins at Huntingdon and Cheltenham.

Warwick stage the Tote National Handicap Chase over three miles and five furlongs and this stamina test looks ready made for Tim Forster's Maamur. The eight year old unseated his rider at the 3th of the 20 fences on his reappearance over this course in November, but it was a different story next time.

Still in need of the outing, the Forster trained gelding led four fences out and soon went clear to defeat Countess Veruschka by an impressive 20 lengths. That was over Towcester's stiff three miles one furlong and Andrew Thornton, the successful jockey there, retains the ride today.

Forster's grey is a useful chaser in the making and can show he is still ahead of the handicapper by gaining his second win of the season in Warwick's feature.

Newcastle's feature event is the Grade Two Dipper Novices' Chase over two miles four furlongs. This race has been chosen by Maurice Camacho for the chasing debut of his star staying hurdler Avro Anson.

Always a good jumper of hurdles, Avro Anson is selected to make a successful bow at the expense of more experienced rivals Cumbrian Challenge and Addington Boy.