SIDING with Simlet (6.45) in the Tolwood Novices' Chase looks a sensible choice on Mecca Bingo Night at Sedgefield this evening.

Edwin Tuer's nine-year-old, who can normally be relied upon to put in a clear round, signalled his turn was near when finishing a close-up second at Hexham 11 days ago.

Should Simlet's number fail to come up, punters will at least have the opportunity to gain compensation because all paying customers will be handed three bingo cards with the chance to win cash prizes of £1,000, £500, plus a colour television.

Improving Vitelli (7.45) also ran at Hexham last time out, dead-heating with Vicki Scott's After Galway in a head-bobbing finish.

Considering that was Vitelli's timber debut it's pretty safe to assume he'll know a lot more about the game this time, which combined with the fact there's little strength-in-depth to the Saltwell Signs Air Ambulance Novices' Hurdle, makes his task that much easier.

There's also some cracking jumps' action a little earlier in the day at Kelso where Double Honour (3.00) is the pick in the feature race on the card, the £25,000 Charles Church Intermediate Chase.

Philip Hobbs travels his classy grey all the way up from Minehead in Somerset to the Scottish Borders' track, and given the sort of form boasted by Double Hinour over the past few weeks, connections have every hope of taking the loot back down south.

Goodwood stages the main flat meeting with several leading fillies limbering up for next month's English and Irish Oaks by contesting the mile-and-a-quarter Normandie Stud Lupe Stakes.

One of the most interesting participants is Henry Candy's thus far unbeaten Carini (2.40), who has reportedly winter well since notching a silky-smooth juvenile double with successive victories at Salisbury and Nottingham.

Jedburgh (4.20) get the vote for the nap selection on account of his excellent third behind Master Marvel and Thyolo at Newmarket on 1,000 Guineas day.

John Dunlop's progressive three-year-old didn't quite get home over one mile that day and has now been dropped back a furlong in distance in order to capitalise on his useful turn of foot.

l Frankie Dettori is confident he will be fit in time for the Vodafone Derby - despite breaking a finger at Goodwood yesterday.

The Italian fractured a bone in his left hand in a bizarre incident before the Mitsubishi Diamond Vision Handicap, where a pheasant flew out of a tree and caused his mount Chinkara to spook on the way to post.

He was taken to St Richard's Hospital in Chichester for X-rays, but returned to the Sussex track afterwards.

Dettori explained: ''The horse got scared and whipped round left. I got it (his hand) caught, heard a crack and you fear the worst - I thought it would be a three-week thing and I'd miss the Derby.

''But I'll be back for the Derby, don't worry about that.

''I have fractured a little bone at the base of my little finger - it is a hairline fracture and I am going to see the specialist tomorrow."