ARGENTO (2.20) has the ideal opportunity to make up for a disappointing campaign at Market Rasen.

George Moore's chaser seemed to have lost his old sparkle until staging a mini-revival when a close-up fifth over hurdles at Kelso.

It was a much-improved performance from Argento, which hopefully will have boosted his confidence sufficiently to lift the Eric & Lucy Papworth Handicap Chase.

One notable first-timer over jumps is Jack The Giant (1.20) in the opening Justin Bounds Juvenile Hurdle.

Jack The Giant had the reputation for being one-paced when with Barry Hills on the Flat, but such individuals often thrive once switched to National Hunt and there's no better tutor than his new handler, Nicky Henderson.

Sedgefield's Ray Craggs doesn't have too much firepower at his disposal, but he does well with his small string so it might be worth chancing the fitness of long-term absentee, Witchelle (3.10).

The five-year-old heads to Southwell for the £5,000 Fillies' Handicap, a relatively weak affair both numerically and as far as any strength-in-depth is concerned.

Witchelle, who prevailed in a one-mile maiden at the course nearly a year ago, drops back to six furlongs, a distance that should prove equally amenable on the grounds she possesses bags of early pace.

Making lame duck excuses for defeat, or even near misses, is all part of horse racing's rich theatre.

Many must be taken with a pinch of salt, although in the case of Katie Lawson (3.40) it's true she was unlucky on her latest foray to Wolverhampton when hampered not long after leaving the stalls.

As if that wasn't bad enough, Katie Lawson then failed to obtain a clear run at a crucial stage of the contest as the whips came up and heads turned for home.

Derek Haydn Jones' raider did well to nab third spot, a position I'm sure she can improve upon given the benefit of a trouble-free passage in the Maiden Handicap.

* Northern Racing are set to take control of Silverstone, the home of the British Grand Prix, under a proposed 25-year lease deal.

A sister company to development business St Modwen, Northern Racing already manages a number of racecourses, including Newcastle, Uttoxeter and Chepstow.

They could take over the day-to-day running of Silverstone on behalf of St Modwen if a plan to overhaul the Formula One circuit as part of the lease is given the go-ahead.

Silverstone's owners, the British Racing Drivers' Club, last week announced they supported development company St Modwen's plan to overhaul Silverstone - building leisure facilities and a hotel.

The plans will be put before the BRDC members at an extraordinary general meeting on February 22 before a final vote at their annual general meeting in the spring.

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