SOME top-notch young horses are on parade at Sedgefield this afternoon, bidding to capture the near £10,00 first prize for the two-miles-and-five-furlongs Arthur Stephenson Memorial Novices Chase.

The dominant force in National Hunt racing for so many years in our area, Arthur would have been proud of the turn-out in the contest run in his memory. And there's certainly very little to choose between the three principal contenders, Jungle Jinks, Lord Jack, and Sea Drifting.

George Moore's Jungle Jinks made a hugely impressive debut over fences when accounting for the useful Hunters Tweed at Wetherby, while the Nicky Richards-trained Lord Jack could not have done the job better by slamming Extra Cache on his chasing bow over course and distance a fortnight ago.

Both are clearly going to win lots more times, but close scrutiny of their previous form over hurdles suggests that the pair are most effective at around a distance of three miles - or possibly even further than that.

By contrast, speed was much more the forte of Sea Drifting (2.25) when he was campaigned over the smaller obstacles last season. And it's not difficult to discover the reason behind the extra pace since the five-year-old has an all-Flat racing pedigree, sired by the Derby winner Slip Anchor, out of a Sadler's Wells mare.

Superb breeding does not always guarantee success, indeed Sea Drifting hit the deck on his fencing debut at Newcastle 11 days ago. Not the start trainer Ferdy Murphy would have wanted, but of more interest was his decision to go chasing in the first place.

On the evidence of his smart novice timber form, Sea Drifting appeared to have a tremendous future in the handicap hurdling division. Instead Murphy has opted to go straight chasing with his five-year-old, a manoeuvre which can be reasonably interpreted as a huge vote of confidence.

There's no danger of the old stager Jonaem (2.55) not finding his way round in the St Modwen Amateur Riders' Handicap Chase - he's already won five times at the track. Although Jonaem's latest success was in a selling handicap hurdle, thankfully he's equally effective over fences and neither does the prospect of having to slog three-miles-and-three-furlongs hold any fears.

In the closing John Davison Retirement Handicap Hurdle, Prince Among Men (3.25) is fancied to follow up his facile Hereford win.

Admittedly that victory was achieved in a significantly lower grade, but the spectacular manner with which he destroyed the opposition leads me to believe that the gelding is one to follow over the coming weeks.

Mark Buckley is the man of the moment on the sand - his last four runners have all won, including a massive treble via Be My Tinker, Distant Cousin, and Hampton Lucy at Southwell yesterday.

While the Lincolnshire handler is in such unstoppable form the time is right to climb aboard the bandwagon and have a decent bet on track and trip specialist, High Esteem (3.35), in the finale, the six-furlong Bet Direct Handicap.

Get more racing online at www.racing-north.co.uk.