CHAMPION National Hunt trainer Martin Pipe switches his attentions to the Flat at Bath today, where he tries to win the Saffie Joseph Filles' Handicap with Ela D'Argent (5.05).

Pipe has been running Ela D'Argent over jumps this winter, winning with her three times, including a runaway victory at Plumpton last time out. But she's also got some quite decent form on the level for her previous handlers, Mark Johnston and Peter Monteith, which suggests the versatile filly should easily switch codes.

There are some wide-open affairs at Nottingham, so it may be a case of keeping one's powder dry for another day.

The 16-runner Newark Handicap over a mile-and-a-three-quarters is a typically competitive contest with the likes of Turtle Valley tumblinging down the weights to a handy mark, while recent Polish import Teorban (3.25) is a relatively unknown quantity.

The latter beat mainly cannon-fodder on the all-weather at Wolverhampton recently, but he was so far ahead of his rivals that day he could yet prove to have been leniently dealt with by the Official Handicapper.

The potential winner of the Dave Dickinson Wedding Celebaration Fillies' Handicap is equally hard to find and I'm persuaded to take a flash outside the off stump and tip the likely outsider, Bergerac Pie (3.55).

He showed more than a glimmer of ability in maiden company at Ripon in 2002 and by all accounts isn't badly treated at all. Trainer Reg Hollinshead also had a winner last week, hinting that his string might be about to hit full stride.

Karl Burke has enjoyed a welcome change of fortune over the past few weeks and the upturn might easily be sustained by Chispa (4.55) in the Bingham Fillies Handicap.

On the evidence of Chispa's recent third placing she might also be coming back on song, in which case the mare has fair prospects of lifting the Bingham Fillies' Handicap.

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