PUTUP OR SHUTUP (4.00) has the class to silence his rivals in Towcester's John Brown Retirement Handicap Hurdle.

A couple of seasons ago Kim Bailey's gelding looked as if the sky was the limit having stylishly opened his account at Ludlow, but not long after he succumbed to injury and didn't re-appear until recently when third on his long-awaited return at the same track.

Considering Putup or Shutup was coming back from an 111-week absence, his narrow one-length defeat proved beyond reasonable doubt that he retains all of his ability and is ready to continue where he left off in 2003.

For the earlier Speedy Hire Selling Hurdle, Tensile (2.50) has a simple task in the near two-and-a-half-mile contest.

A one-time useful performer on the Flat for leading Newmarket trainer, James Fanshawe, Tensile is now in the capable hands of west-country handler, Ron Hodges. Hodges hasn't set his sights too high with the ten-year-old, picking up an equivalent standard event on the south coast at Folkestone in January.

The selection has since finished third in better company and provided nothing untoward happens at any of the obstacles, Tensile should have his field well covered with the possible exception of Tony McCoy's mount, Who Cares Wins.

Now that Robin Dickin's stable has hit top gear, Sissinghurst Storm (3.15) is worth an interest in the Army Benevolent Handicap Chase at Chepstow.

Dickin's seven-year-old has been relatively disappointing over the winter, however there was a glimmer of light last time out at Market Rasen where he was far from disgraced in fourth spot behind Courage Under Fire.

Although Sissinghurst Storm was carrying 3lbs overweight on that occasion, the Official Handicapper has opted to leave him on the same rating of 73, a lowly mark off which he is surely capable of giving a good account in the three-mile test.

It's been a miserable time of late for Richard Rowe, whose horses have struggled to fire and many subsequently performed poorly.

Fortunately Rowe's team are shaping as if they have regained their health, a point underlined by Six Of One's second placing to Durlston Bay in a pretty competitive Sandown heat.

Rowe is too good at his job to be in the doldrums forever, and if Six Of One (3.50) reproduces a similar level of form in the Novices' Handicap Chase, it's hard to envisage anything other than an extremely bold show from Mick Fitzgerald's partner.

Saturday's nap, Bint Royal (3.40), could only finish in sixth spot at Wolverhampton, nonetheless she was staying on strongly inside the final furlong prompting trainer Vicky Haigh to whip the mare out double quick to contest the Press Red Handicap at Lingfield.

Admittedly Bint Royal, a prolific winner in the past over six and seven furlongs, has never actually got her head in front at the course, but Haigh raider has won on fast ground before, suggesting she'll have no problems handling the man-made polytrack surface.