BACKING Bushido (1.50) makes a good deal of sense in today's most valuable race at Hexham, the £8,000 Tote Bookmakers Handicap Hurdle.

Sue Smith's exciting young four-year-old proved he has the bottle to handle the demanding uphill climb to the winning post by scorching to an all-the-way win over course and distance in March.

Although Bushido hasn't added to that success, he showed his turn was very near by making 7-2 favourite, Meldrum Star, pull out all of the stops in a thrilling duel at Doncaster on Saturday.

Most National Hunt trainers wouldn't contemplate running one of their inmates so soon after such a tussle, but not thrifty Sue, who understands well enough there is no money to be made by letting a horse stand idle at home.

Full Irish (2.20), yet another big gun from Len Lungo's yard, should by all accounts have the measure of his rivals in the extended two-mile Christopher Thompson Beginners' Chase.

Lungo's useful seven-year-old already has a string of bumper and hurdles wins to his name, a tally likely to be topped up considerably now that he tackles the bigger obstacles.

"I think Full Irish is an exciting chasing prospect. He's only small but jumps his fences for fun and I can see him being a potent force in novice chases," enthused Len.

Having just enjoyed by far his best campaign on the flat, Malton handler John Quinn is making certain the likes of Archie Babe also earn their keep through the winter.

Archie Babe (3.20) won doing handsprings at Wetherby last month, jumping like a buck throughout prior to sprinting clear on the short run-in.

Despite Quinn's progressive gelding having incurred a 7lb penalty, I don't believe it will be anything like sufficient to stop him following up in the closing Edmundbyers Mafia Novices Hurdle.

Even though the 3-mile Christmas Time Handicap Chase at Bangor is the longest race on the card, such is the competitive nature of the event it might easily produce a grandstand finale.

After grinding out a gritty triumph at the track in November Henry Daly's Coursing Run is almost sure to attract some hefty punts. But he has the crushing burden of top-weight and with the ground likely to be "holding", perhaps Miners Dance is a safer wager.

Miners Dance did us a monster favour by landing a 13-2 winning nap selection when collecting over four miles at Exeter 12 days ago, a performance for which the Official Handicapper raised himonly 3lb.

Such supreme largesse cannot be ignored because with only a featherweight on his back Miners Dance (2.10) has been gifted a gilt-edged opportunity.

* Martin Pipe broke new ground yesterday when he landed his first winners at Musselburgh thanks to a double from Contraband and Liberman. Both were ridden by Tony McCoy and carried the colours of David Johnson.

Pipe has now sent out a winner on every jumping course in the country apart from Newcastle.

But there were reverses, too, with defeats for Korelo, Gone Too Far and Arabian Moon.

Pipe's travelling head lad Eamon Leigh said: ''It took us nine hours to get here from Nicholashayne (a round trip of 820 miles), and it hasn't been a bad day."

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