A drop of rain wouldn't go amiss for Head Gardener prior to the opener at Sedgefield this afternoon.

Ideally Richard Lee's Welsh raider would prefer a little more give in the ground for the Bradbury Amateur Handicap Hurdle, although even if the weather stays dry I still fancy him to see off his rivals in the marathon three-mile-three-furlong contest.

Head Gardener (1.10) is by no stretch of the imagination a fast horse, but he has the ability to keep plugging on when many less resolute characters hit the wall at the three-mile marker.

In the following Selling Handicap Hurdle, no such reserves of stamina will be required for the relatively short trip of 17 furlongs.

Previous course and distance scorer Willow Run (1.40) has the perfect profile to pick up the low-grade affair, especially as his trainer/jockey combination of Len Lungo and Tony Dobbin are in such invincible form.

J P MacNamara could be in for a white-knuckle ride aboard the dashing front-runner, Man On the Hill (2.10), who "still lives a bit on his nerves" according to his trainer, Ferdy Murphy.

Under normal circumstances stable number one Adrian Maguire would be in the saddle, but 'JP' won on Man On The Hill over track and trip back in the spring and he keeps the ride, having done the hard work of trying to get the selection to settle at home.

In the closing Hartburn Handicap Chase, Angry Native (3.40) must have an outstanding chance, provided he stays the near three-and-a-half-mile trip.

John Wade's locally-trained chaser is technically thrown in on his handicap mark over hurdles, and it did look like he was finally getting his act together over fences when fifth to Watership Down at the last meeting.

Stratford-bound Irish Cream (1.25) often runs well when fresh so his long lay-off shouldn't present any fitness problems in the Pennine Project Novices' Hurdle.

John Spearing's five-year-old was no mug on the Flat, collecting three races at Southwell. He's yet to transfer that sort of standard over timber, however has always shaped as if he would eventually make his mark in the National Hunt arena.

Henrietta Knight had a mixed day at Cheltenham yesterday, with Southern Star winning in common canter in contrast to another of her stable-stars, Be My Manager, who ran lamentably.

Henrietta understands better than most the ups and downs of jump racing and I think she can look forward to victory today with Hachty Boy (2.20).

Hachty Boy is edging ever nearer a first chase success, having finished in the frame on both starts this term.

In fact the five-year-old appears to have a relatively simple task in the Frank Morton Novices' Chase, the winner of which picks up the Archie Scott Trophy.

Oliver Sherwood's Kadou Nonantais (3.20) is a quirky customer at the best of times.

It often pays to catch this type of individual early in the season before they've had time to remember just what it's like when the going gets tough.

If the theory is correct, then Kadou Nonantias is the one to be on in the Kerr-McGee Handicap.

l The sky's the limit for Shooting Light after the eight-year-old made an impressive winning debut for Martin Pipe in the Host Partnership Showcase Handicap Chase at Cheltenham yesterday.

Formerly trained by Pat Murphy, the gelding always travelled in silky smooth style for Tony McCoy before easing ahead on the bridle turning for home and scoring as he pleased by 11 lengths.

Not surprisingly, Pipe's son David declared that next month's Thomas Pink Gold Cup could be on the agenda for the winner depending on how the handicapper reacts to this facile success.

Pipe and McCoy had initiated a double when Westender made if five wins on the bounce in impressive style after bolting away with the featured Jewson Handicap Hurdle Final, earning a 33-1 quote for the Champion Hurdle from the Tote.

The gelding cruised through to lead after jumping the second last and proceeded to put five lengths of daylight between himself and runner-up Kaikovra with the minimum of fuss.

Robert Widger, aboard fourth-home Spectrometer, was found guilty of careless riding after interfering with third-placed Bobosh and unplaced Javelin. They banned him for two days.

Trainer Henrietta Knight and her jockey Jim Culloty were also in double form after Southern Star maintained his 100 per cent record over fences in the Ian Williams Owners Novices Chase and Stars Out Tonight took the concluding bumper.

Southern Star won by 28 lengths over the toiling Lucky Clover