CLEVER placing by Mick Easterby has steered Lago (2.50) towards a winning opportunity at Newcastle this afternoon.

After three runs over hurdles Lago has been allotted a fairly low rating of 78 for the Racecourse Video Services Handicap. Perhaps the Official Handicapper was unimpressed by his latest start at Wetherby, where the four-year-old finished a never nearer seventh.

But to my way of thinking it was a more-than-promising effort. Lago seemed unable to keep tabs on the leaders for much of the contest, but when jockey Richie McGrath did put his foot to the floor in the home straight, Lago stayed on quite nicely over the final two flights.

In the Tote Exacta Handicap Chase, Board Walk can make amends for his early exit over track and trip on November 26.

Backed into 3-1 favouritism, punters soon knew their fate as the seven-year-old gelding crashed out of contention by virtue of a monumental blunder at the first fence.

Board Walk (1.50), a fine stamp of a chaser, had previously finished third to Young Tomo at Sedgefield, a repeat of which would surely be good enough to add to Mary Reveley's already excellent course record.

The Venetia Williams stable landed a huge gamble with Mystere at Folkestone yesterday and it could more of the same at Huntingdon with Hitchhiker (3.30).

Hitchhiker hasn't seen much action over the past 18 months, but he's a proven customer at a venue where it often pays to ride a waiting race and there's no finer exponent of such tactics as today's pilot, Norman Williamson.

In the closing Eastlight Novices' Handicap Hurdle sorting out the wheat from the chaff in the 15-runner line-up is not going to be easy.

At this time of year recent form is normally the most reliable yardstick, putting the spotlight firmly on Kedge Anchor Man (4.00).

Even taking into account the selection's advancing years, Nick Gaselee's near veteran hasn't got many miles on the clock following a string of training setbacks over the past few seasons.

Maybe Kedge Anchor Man's fragile legs have finally healed on the evidence of his best race for some time when runner-up to Tosawi at Exeter late last month.

Another 11-year-old still going strong is Nineacres (12.10), fancied to blitz his rivals in the opening six furlong dash at Lingfield.

Nineacres made up a prodigious amount of ground inside the final furlong to win at the course over the minimum trip this month.

Milton Bradley's speedster has since disappointed at Wolverhampton, although it was in a much higher grade contest.

The supremely well handicapped Sudden Flight is certain to attract a flood of money in the most valuable event on the card, the £10,000 Showcase Handicap.

With the prospect of Sudden Flight lacking any sort of value, Inver Gold (2.40) might be a viable alternative. Tony Newcombe's gelding stormed back to his best over an extended nine furlongs at Wolverhampton last week, shaping as though he would be suited by this afternoon's step-up in trip.

* Tim Reed had a fairytail and emotional ending to his riding career when Kerry Lads ran out a convincing winner of the appropriately-named Hadrians Wall Novices' Chase at Carlisle today.

Kerry Lads jumped to the front at the fifth last, and the Lucinda Russell-trained gelding stayed on stoutly up the hill to beat The Grey Dyer by 11 lengths.