DORIS'S GIFT (2.10) could provide the perfect present for race fans who didn't really get what they wanted in Santa's Christmas sack.

Alan Swinbank's gelding turns out for Sedgefield's toteexacta Handicap Chase, a contest in which he only has a featherweight to carry compared to his main rivals.

It was a case of so near yet so far for Doris's Gift at Kelso on December 9, when despite finishing like an express train, he failed by inches to catch Len Lungo's Mensio.

Winning a race of any nature is difficult enough, therefore to lose out on the number one spot by such a narrow margin is a bitter pill to swallow.

But the performance demonstrated that Doris's Gift is on the verge of opening his account, perhaps bolstering backers' funds to join in the seasonal Sales' frenzy.

Media Man (2.45), cruelly denied a relatively easy opportunity by the abandonment of Saturday's Newcastle fixture, has been rerouted to the totesport Handicap Chase.

Tom Dreaper's mount did nothing wrong when second to Divex at Catterick, an excellent effort which maintained the recent good run of Ferdy Murphy's yard.

Murphy and Dreaper also team up in division two of the Novices' Hurdle via Senora Snoopy, a mare with more than enough talent to secure the spoils.

One subsequently out-ofpocket punter lumped £600 on Senora Snoopy (12.35) when only finishing fifth on her Newbury comeback 24 days ago.

Clearly the pre-race stable vibes had been positive for the daughter of Un Desperado, a six-year-old from whom major things are expected during the coming months.

Readers heading for Wetherby might like to take a financial interest on Terenzium (1.00), who gets a confident vote in the opening Handicap Hurdle.

With 16 opponents to contend with, Terenzium's rider needs to steer clear of the possible mayhem, especially if there's in-running carnage.

As far as credentials go, Micky Hammond's representative has an outstanding chance so long as his third place in a higher grade to Traprain was no fluke.

The feature event on the card, the £50,000 Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase, offers Lothian Falcon (1.35) a fine opportunity to bag his most substantial purse to date.

Few can boast the consistency achieved by the spring-heeled selection, a whippet-like individual with a bumper-bundle of brownie points in the jumping department.

Excuse the pun, but Lothian Falcon is one of those rare birds with speed and stamina, a quality underlined courtesy of a recent track victory over twomiles- three-furlongs.

Today's challenge is a full three-quarters of a mile more, however that's no problem to Robert Walford's partner, who possesses stacks of staying power.

Although John Wade is based only a stone's throw from Sedgefield, he's decided that crossing the Durham/Yorkshire border is the best option for General Hardi (2.35).

Wade's inmate should relish the uphill finish for the Bramham Hall Novices' Handicap Chase, a three-miler to savour given the awesome nature of the home-straight fences.

Middleham's Andy Crook is travelling even further afield to Market Rasen in the hope of claiming the Lincolnshire National with Matmata de Tendron (2.20).

Crook's dour grey slugger was raised a mere 5lb for an earlier track and trip triumph, a modest hike which could spell curtains for all-and-sundry if in similar fettle.

For the nap we go to Huntingdon and Nick Gifford's promising youngster, Cathedral Rock, a leading contender in the two-and-a-half-mile Novices' Chase.

Cathedral Rock (2.00) was taking on two smart cookies, Pauillac and William Bonney, on his Lingfield fencing bow when a distant third.

Considering the five-year-old needed the outing, and was being tried over an inadequate trip, the race provided sufficient evidence to suggest he would be cherry-ripe this time round.