Chris Fairhurst had been quiet since the end of August but, with two winners from his last two runners, he's a trainer to keep an eye on and his Truckle looks interesting in the Ellerton Juvenile Novices Hurdle over two miles at Catterick this afternoon.

The course has to pass an early inspection but if it does get the green light the sharp nature of this course should suit this Flat winner, who ran his best race over hurdles at Newcastle last time.

On that occasion he travelled strongly for a long way on the rain-softened ground at that testing course but, although tiring in the straight, left the impression that this track on better ground would be to his liking.

Course winners are always of interest at this track and Forest Dante makes plenty of appeal in the Maurice Young Memorial Handicap Chase over the extended three miles and one furlong.

This four-time course winner is back on a fair mark and should be all the better for a recent run at Leicester, where he ran well for a long way. He makes plenty of appeal in an ordinary event back at this course.

Jimmy Moffatt's Ball Games has winning course form and can land the Skeeby Selling Handicap Hurdle for the second year in succession.

Although he is higher in the weights and is not the most consistent he is one of the few that know how to win in this race and he is also in a minority in that he comes into this race in some sort of form.

Rare Coincidence, who won on the Flat at this course in summer, has been in good form over hurdles of late and is fancied to go well in the the Richmondshire Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle over two miles and three furlongs.

Karo de Vindecy meets nothing of the calibre of Oso Magic, his Newcastle conqueror last time, and is fancied to go one better under Graham Lee in the Askrigg Handicap over two miles.

And Sue Smith's bumper winner Bougoure, who shaped well on his hurdle debut, is the value alternative to likely favourite Ball O'Malt in the Streetlam National Hunt Novices Hurdle over two miles and three furlongs.

At Wolverhampton the in-form Ardkeel Lass, who broke a losing run at Southwell last time, is the bet of the card in the Text Betdirect To 88600 Banded Stakes over five furlongs.

David Evans' four-year-old, who made every yard of the running that day, is equally effective on this quicker surface, is well drawn in stall five and can take care of some essentially disappointing sorts.

Paddywack wasn't at his best last time at Southwell but takes a steep drop in grade and is worth support, despite a wide draw, in the New Account Free Bet At Betdirect Banded Stakes over six furlongs.

At Plumpton Martin Pipe's Lunar Sovereign is worth an interest on his hurdle debut in the Coraflex For Horses Novices Hurdle over two miles.

A Grade 1 winner in the States in 2003, he was mainly disappointing for the Godolphin operation last year but, although he's not been seen since, he's an interesting recruit to hurdling and he's sure to have been well schooled.

l Kauto Star has been trimmed to 7-4 favourite from 2-1 with the sponsors for the William Hill - Tingle Creek Trophy Chase at Sandown Park on Saturday.

The Haldon Gold Cup runner-up, the mount of Mick Fitzgerald, is one of four Paul Nicholls-trained entries in the Grade One two-mile feature.

Bookmakers also reported support for one of his stable companions, Sporazene, with Coral cutting the grey's odds to 6-1 from 10-1 following decent support.

''With last year's one-two-three of Moscow Flyer, Azertyuiop and Well Chief all missing from this season's renewal, this is a wide-open betting heat, and the support for Sporazene confirms this,'' said Coral spokesman David Stevens.

As well as money for Kauto Star, Hills reported interest in Oneway and clipped Mark Rimell's charge from 9-1 to 7-1.

Philip Hobbs is leaning towards running Monkerhostin in the Sandown feature.

The Minehead trainer is favouring a return to two miles for the consistent gelding rather than the Robin Cook Memorial Gold Cup over an extra five furlongs at Cheltenham seven days later.

Monkerhostin, a 5-1 chance with Hills, has shown himself to be a versatile and hardy performer this season.

He defeated Monkerhostin in the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter before finishing second in the Paddy Power Gold Cup and the totesport Peterborough Chase.

Hobbs reports Richard Johnson's mount to be in fine fettle and sees no problem with a return to the minimum distance.