McCoy and Hobbs Hill will relish longer trip

Today's programmes: Hobbs Hill is fancied to run a big race on his belated reappearance in the Morris Furniture Group Maiden Hurdle at Wincanton today.

Charlie Egerton has maintained an impressive strike-rate of 22 per cent during the last five seasons.

But that statistic rises to a superb 31 per cent when Tony McCoy, who will be Hobbs Hill's partner, is in the saddle.

An impressive bumper winner at Kempton when last seen a year ago, Hobbs Hill has the stamp of a future staying chaser, so the step up to two miles, six furlongs on his debut over timber is of no concern.

He is expected to hold his own in much better company than he faces here.

Jupon Vert took full advantage of a slipping handicap mark when he hit the target at Huntingdon on St Stephen's Day and could deny a 7lb penalty in the Happy New Year Handicap Chase.

The nine-year-old had been fighting shy of the winner's enclosure since scoring at Warwick in November 2004, but that may have been due to the fact the assessor had put him up 12lb for that success.

Being forced to race above his class made life difficult for the son of Lights Out, but he performed with credit and helped to pay his way by making the frame on several occasions.

Although burdened with a penalty for his festive victory, Ron Hodges's inmate still runs off a competitive mark and can notch a quick-fire hat-trick.

In good form on Southwell's fibresand during recent weeks, Moi Aussi is fancied to be equally suited by polytrack when she contests the one-mile Play Now At betdirectcasino.com Handicap at Lingfield.

Her previous efforts on the same surface can be forgotten because of the inadequate distances entailed, a view endorsed by subsequent results at a mile - the latest of which was a very comfortable success at Southwell.

Clearly progressive, Moi Aussi remains of interest under a 6lb penalty and is fancied to enhance Mark Prescott's already impressive strike-rate on the all-weather.

Previously trained by Marcus Tregoning for Hamdan Al Maktoum, Ameeq looks set to make his Flat debut for new connections a winning one by seeing off his opposition in the First Past The Post At Betdirect Maiden Stakes.

Rated 79 when last seen in this sphere in late October, finishing fourth in a fair maiden over the same trip at Newbury, Ameeq was tried over hurdles when making his debut for Gary Moore, but seemed to dislike the prevailing heavy ground at Sandown.

Likely to be much better suited on polytrack, he makes most appeal in a race he is entitled to win on official ratings.