COSMIC CASE can be the star of the show at Newcastle this afternoon by winning the Sports Aid Northern Handicap.

Jim Goldie's versatile seven-year-old mare won over the sticks as recently as three days ago at Perth and now she looks all set to complete a quick-fire jumps/ flat double in the mile-and-six-furlong contest.

George Moore's Valdesco appears to be the biggest threat to the selection having won his last two races in gritty fashion. However he'll have to defy top-weight - not an easy task up the testing home straight on rain-softened ground at the Tyneside track.

In the St James Security Nursery Handicap, Nuit Sombre (3.30) has outstanding prospects of following up his recent bloodless success at Ayr.

Nuit Sombre routed his rivals with a blistering pillar-to-post victory at the Scottish venue and although the smart son of Night Shift has an extra furlong to travel today, he shapes as if the extra distance will be very much to his advantage.

There's £12,000 up for grabs in the Chaplins Club Handicap at Pontefract, a race run in memory of one of the North's favourite speedsters.

David Chapman, responsible for handling Chaplins Club throughout his illustrious career, is represented by Quito (3.20), and it would be a fairytale come true if David could land the spoils with his in-form five-year-old

Leicester's evening fixture gets underway with a Ladies Amateur Riders' Handicap over five furlongs.

The majority of the sprinters in the line-up are well known to the Official Handicapper and therefore are pretty much in his grip. One exception could turn out to be the four-year-old Erracht (6.00), whose "give it the gun" trail-blazing style may help Mark Usher's speedster to an all-the-way victory in the £6,000 opener.

l Tote Ebor favourite Scott's View will bid to cement his position at the head of the betting for the York feature at Sandown Park this evening.

The Mark Johnston-trained three-year-old won twice at 'Glorious' Goodwood last week to earn a top quote of 11-2 from Coral for the £185,000 handicap for which he has incurred a 7lb penalty putting him on a mark of 95.

But the horse is still 9lb ''well-in'' based on his new rating.

Explaining the decision to run Scott's View in the Thames Ditton Handicap at the Esher track, Johnston said: ''The handicapper decided to give him an extra 16lb so that twisted my arm a bit. He's on a mark of 104 now.''

Johnston also said that he is hoping to book Jimmy Quinn, who won on Scott's View at Goodwood last Tuesday, for the ride in the Ebor a fortnight today.

Another leading Ebor fancy Barathea Blazer is set to run at Haydock Park on Saturday in the hope that a victory would guarantee his place in the line up on the Knavesmire.

William Hill report money for Nicky Henderson's Cupboard Lover and have trimmed the six-year-old's odds to 14-1 from 16-1.