FAST ground has unfortunately kept most National Hunt stars safely under wraps at home, but jump fans finally have something to smile about with the reappearance at Haydock of this year's Grand National third, Amberleigh House (4.10).

As Ginger McCain's 11-year-old is taking on the smaller obstacles, rather than his normal fences, many punters might wrongly assume Amberleigh House is only having a pipe-opener in preparation for next month's Becher Chase at Liverpool.

For sure McCain's master-plan will include using the Renault Vans Handicap as a stepping stone towards full-fitness, but Amberleigh House has shown himself to be a class act in staying chases and if he ran to within 10lb of his official fences rating he would trounce this afternoon's modest opponents.

Mary Reveley normally does very well with her runners at the course and she has excellent prospects of maintaining her impressive strike-rate with Sun King (2.35)

Apart from having to carry top-weight, Sun King has everything else going for him in the opening Conditional Riders' Handicap Hurdle. He ran a marvellous race when third on his comeback outing over the sticks at Huntingdon, and has the invaluable assistance of one of my tips for the top in the saddle, Paddy Aspell.

Given the dross on view in the British Open Snooker Selling Handicap at Brighton, it could be worth taking a chance on long-time absentee, The Chocolatier (3.25).

Not seen out for a whopping 320 days, the Lydia Pierce-trained mare would have picked up today's opposition and carried them over the line a couple of seasons ago. Sadly things didn't work out for The Chocolatier in 2002, setting up a free-fall situation in the weights and bringing her handicap mark crashing down from 69 to 48.

Lydia is no mug and I cannot believe her Newmarket raider has declined to such a level that the five-year-old cannot at least sneak in the frame at decent odds for the pitiful 20-runner affair.

The following Weatherbys Insurance Handicap is thankfully a totally different kettle of fish, with several seasoned sprinters going head-to-head in the £12,000 six-furlong contest.

Hold-up horses usually fare pretty favourably at the seaside resort and with the leaders certain to be taking no prisoners, I fancy Budelli (3.55) to cut them down in the closing stages.

Regular jockey Dean Corby knows Mick Channon's gelding like the back of his hand and he'll be biding his time prior to hopefully applying Budelli's killer punch once the horses hit the rising ground at the furlong marker.

* Henry Candy and Dane O'Neill were in double form when the Wantage trainer's bargain buys Polonius and Carini both recorded the second wins of their careers at Nottingham yesterday, writes RAY GILPIN.

Polonius, a winner on his racecourse debut at Chepstow, and third at Salisbury next time, is certainly going the right way.

When asked to quicken he did so effortlessly to head Bonne de Fleur a furlong and a half out and go three and a half lengths clear in the David Ashley Construction Limited Novice Auction Stakes.

Carini, a winner at Salisbury first time out, made it two out of two with a fine staying performance in the Mainland Contractors Novice Stakes, leading from pillar to post and bursting four lengths clear of Fancy Foxtrot in the final furlong.

Candy said: ''We bought the two for 8,000gns at the Doncaster St Leger Sales last year - we got Polonius for 6,000gns and Carini 2,000gns, so we haven't done too badly.''

Polonius is part-owned by Peter Deal, whose Make A Stand won the 1997 Champion Hurdle and was initially trained by Candy, who said: ''Polonius will get seven furlongs next year. He is still weak, but he is a huge horse and a lovely mover. Brian Clotworthy, who rides him at home, said it is an unbelievable experience.