FAILING to side with Henry's Pride (2.20) at Southwell could prove a costly mistake in the Beginners Chase.

Despite looking a tad tubby in the parade ring on his Sedgefield comeback, Henry's Pride belied those flabby features by finishing in second spot behind Vicario.

To say it was a promising performance is a total understatement since he was returning from a 51-week absence, had only recently joined trainer Patrick Haslam, and might have won but for a bad blunder at the last fence.

Woody Valentine (4.20) is an equally enticing prospective wager for the Betfred Handicap Hurdle.

Woody Valentine, who already boasts one two-mile course victory to his name, steps up an extra four furlongs in the £8,000 event. From a tipping perspective I've been eagerly awaiting such a strategy and am 99 per cent convinced he'll improve over the new distance.

There's also more good news to be gleaned from the fact the Venetia Williams-trained chestnut has been dropped 4lb following a disappointing effort at Chepstow last time out.

Woody Valentine might simply have got stuck in the bottomless ground that day, a fate befalling many runners on what turned out to be a good old-fashioned south Wales glue-pot.

Venetia might additionally be in the money with Ludlow raider, Tribal Dancer, a leading contender for the Teme Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Chase.

Admittedly Tribal Dancer (2.30) is getting a bit long in the tooth these days, but he loves the track and as a rule generally reserves the pick of his form for the Shropshire venue.

As well as a fondness for the place, connections have taken the trouble to secure the services of Liam Treadwell, a young jockey with a massive future provided he keeps his nose to the grindstone.

David Nicholls is beginning to wind up his powerful team with a noticeable increase of stable inmates being sent to try their hand on the all-weather circuit.

Lingfield-bound Four Amigos (4.40) is a prime example as the five-year-old now appears ready to do himself justice following four sand spins, the latest of which, when third at Southwell, signalled his turn was near.

In the closing six-furlong dash Beneking (5.10) is ideally situated from his inside draw to adopt his habitual pace-setting role.

Chris Catlin's mount is set to emerge from stall number two, the perfect pitch to give it the gun and make all by sticking limpet-like against the favoured far rail.