HAVING spent 20 years living in the shadow of is illustrious mother, Mary, Keith Reveley is now showing he's every bit as capable of turning out winner-after-winner from the family's Groundhill Farm base at Lingdale, near Saltburn.

Keith, who has only held a training licence since August, is hungry for big-race success and this afternoon at Newcastle has every chance of landing an early Christmas bonus with Rambling Minster (2.20) in the £25,000 Betfred Handicap Hurdle Series Final.

There was something very special about the way Rambling Minster won on his last visit to the Tyneside track, because despite returning from a 30-week absence, there were no signs of the six-year-old being in the least bit ring-rusty.

In view of the lorry-loads of cash for Reveley's runner, there was already a clue that race-goers were about to witness something out of the ordinary, and Rambling Minster didn't let his backers down when producing an electrifying late burst to cut down the long-time leader, Sharp Belline.

Not only did Richard McGrath and partner post a very fast winning time, it was also noticeable that the gelding appeared as if he could have cleared right away from Sharp Belline, had not McGrath waited until the last second before launching his clinical strike.

Doubtless McGrath will be anxious to adopt similar waiting tactics aboard Rambling Minster in today's valuable three-mile contest, although with much superior prize money now on offer, the Irishman may opt to unleash his mount a fraction earlier, rather than taking any undue risks.

When King Revo passed the post in the lead at Cheltenham eight days ago, it was a notable landmark for trainer Patrick Haslam, who has now sent out a winner on every racecourse in England, Scotland and Wales.

It was a remarkable achievement by the Middleham-based handler, who will be hoping Positive Profile (1.15) puts in a clear round in the three-mile Beginners' Chase.

Positive Profile, a pretty smart hurdler, made a most unfortunate start to his chasing career by belting the first fence at Kempton, leaving his hapless rider, Barry Keniry, to clutch at thin air.

Normally his jumping was as safe as houses over hurdles and in the knowledge that he's since been intensively schooled at Haslam's Manor House Stables, Positive Profile might well have what it takes to make amends at only the second time of asking over fences.

Seeking out the best value for followers of the column remains the priority and I should imagine the nap selection, Ho Pang Yau (3.20), will start at odds 10-1 or better.

The promising young amateur, Rose Davison, gave the six-year-old a peach of a ride to record a 50-1 triumph right at the start of the season, and judged by the way they were making headway until falling at Kelso, the time is right to have a small each-way wager.

Stamina, rather than speed, will be the name of the game in Haydock's long-distance Tim Molony Handicap Chase.

Top-weight Bear On Board relishes such wars of attrition, unfortunately lack of a recent outing could pass the initiative to Paul Keane's dour stayer, The Villager (2.10).

A couple of jumping errors at a crucial late stage of the contest cost The Villager dear when he was comprehensively out-pointed by another of today's rivals, Classic Native, at Bangor.

For the re-match, I reckon it is Classic Native who will trip up over Haydock's trappy obstacles, which combined with being 9lbs worse off at the weights, might allow The Villager to get his revenge.

When Hammer Of The Gods (12.00) came within a whisker of breaking Lingfield's five-furlong track record, Julian Poulton must have thought he had a real world-beater on his hands.

Like so many similar scenarios in sport, the euphoria was short-lived as Hammer Of Gods then proceeded to fail miserably at Wolverhampton on his very next visit to a racecourse.

Although both surfaces consist of identical "polytrack" material, curiously Wolverhampton produces far slower race-times than Lingfield, prompting Poulton to try his speedster back at the Surrey venue for the Bet Direct Place Terms Handicap.

It certainly appears to be a logical tactic, so provided the three-year-old breaks from the gate with his usual gusto, another blitzkrieg wire-to-wire victory is very much on the cards.

* Timmy Murphy will have his appeal against a seven-day ban heard at the Jockey Club on Thursday.

The ban rules the in-form rider out from Boxing Day until New Year's Day inclusive, meaning he is set to miss the ride on either Our Vic or Therealbandit in the King George VI Chase at Kempton, as well as a host of other high-profile engagements at one of the busiest times of the racing year.

The Jockey Club had hoped to stage the appeal yesterday but Murphy's legal team required more time to put together their defence.

Jockey Club spokesman Owen Byrne confirmed: ''We fully expect the hearing to take place on Thursday at a time yet to be decided.''

Murphy has engaged Rory Mac Neice to represent him at the appeal hearing but the solicitor has yet to confirm the date.

Mac Neice, who was only instructed to act on this matter on Thursday, had been worried that if the hearing had gone ahead yesterday he would not have had time to prepare his case, but he believes it should be in hand by Thursday.

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