KARL BURKE'S King Marju (4.50) can reign supreme in Lingfield's Weatherbys Bank Handicap this afternoon.

Trained throughout 2005 by Peter Chapple-Hyam, King Marju made a promising enough start for his new Middleham handler when picking up some decent third-place money on a trip to Dubai in mid-February.

Karl's recent recruit then returned to the UK and once again nabbed third spot, this time over today's course and distance in March, prior to three basically disappointing efforts on turf, albeit in fairly exalted company.

It does seem as if King Marju is at the peak of his powers when operating on a made-made surface, therefore the very fact he's now switched once again to the polytrack surely augers well for the selection in the seven-furlong feature.

Karen Waldron is making quite a name for herself in the National Hunt training ranks, ably aided and abetted by individuals such as Stratford raider and Merry Storm, who last season shot up the handicap like a sky rocket as a result of three emphatic victories.

Many punters might be put off Merry Storm (3.30) purely on the grounds that he'll find life a whole lot more difficult off his revised rating, however I'd beg to differ because to my way of thinking he's a gelding with scope for improvement.

Waldron could have opted to find an easier opening salvo than the £10,000 Rowe Challenge Trophy, but since she's apparently gong straight for the jugular, there's more than a hint in her tactics that the progressive young chaser is cherry-ripe for his comeback.

Yesterday's countrywide downpour will have done the hopes of Donovan (4.30) no harm whatsoever in the George Pragnell Jeweller's Handicap Chase.

The Ian Williams-trained seven-year-old is at his best when the mud is flying, a situation almost certain to prevail even though Stratford can soak up a real deluge before underfoot conditions become similar to a quagmire.

Brendan Powell has his stable in fair order at present, boding nicely for the prospects of Taunton-bound Methodical (4.10).

The Racing Post "Hands And Heels" Handicap Hurdle represents, in truth, little more than a selling race, a medium in which the game and consistent Methodical has proved highly-effective in the past.