HAVING not raced since Boxing Day, officials at Wetherby will be hoping that the weather relents to allow the course to stage a quality seven-race programme tomorrow.

The meeting features a pair of grade two contests - The Gerrard Wealth Management Novices' Hurdle and The Weatherbys Towton Novices' Chase.

Rhinestone Cowboy, favourite for the Gerrard Wealth Management Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and fellow contender Beyond the Pale have both been entered in the Gerrard Wealth Management Novices' Hurdle, the fourth in the series.

The programme also includes Britain's first hunter chase of 2003, The Wilmot-Smith Memorial Cup.

The £30,000 novices' hurdle over two miles should attract a quality field, while the novices' chase over three miles and one furlong has prize money of £35,000. It has been won in the past by horses of the calibre of Arctic Camper, Mr Mulligan and Escartefigue.

The extended two and a half miles is the distance for the £20,000 Tote Exacta Handicap Chase, while The Wilmot-Smith Memorial Cup over three miles and one furlong is held in memory of two brothers - Nick and Pat Wilmot-Smith - who were long-standing directors of the Wetherby Steeplechase Committee Ltd.

Nick Wilmot-Smith served on the racecourse committee for 59 years and was chairman between 1968 and 1996.

The Eurotel Handicap Hurdle over two miles is supported by communication solutions specialists Eurotel in conjunction with regular Wetherby sponsors the Rocom Group of Thorp Arch.

Racing begins at 1.10 and musical entertainment from the bandstand is provided by the Fanfair Brass Band.