Horse Racing: Guide to Tv Races

On a day of superb jumps action up and down the country, featuring established performers such as Rooster Booster, Behrajan and Bindaree, as well as the potentially top-class Kingscliff, Native Scout can pay a compliment to another of the game's big names.

Beaten five lengths by Moscow Flyer at Leopardstown over Christmas, Barry Geraghty's mount has outstanding claims in the Victor Chandler Chase at Ascot.

Going into the Leopardstown race, Donal Hassett's gelding was rated 33lb inferior to Moscow Flyer. But he kept on willingly to finish second to the two-mile champion chaser in receipt of just 5lb.

Conditions-race form can be misleading when applied to handicaps, but rarely when it stems from a truly-run contest, as was the case in the Paddy Power Chase. Moscow Flyer clocked easily the best time of the day and, in finishing clear of the remainder, Native Scout (1.55) confirmed earlier impressions that he is an improved performer.

HAYDOCK 1.10: Expensive buy Royal Rosa will have to show a big improvement to cope with Sh Boom , who displayed a good turn of foot to beat Crystal D'Ainay at Cheltenham.

ASCOT 1.25: The more rain the better for Royal Auclair , who has shown signs of a form revival in two outings since switching from Martin Pipe to the Paul Nicholls stable.

WARWICK 1.35: Lough Derg came home by a distance at Newbury, but the form looks nothing special, whereas a couple of recent winners have come out of the race Emanic won so impressively from Edmo Yewkay last time.

HAYDOCK 1.40: Four subsequent Gold Cup winners have landed this prize en route to Cheltenham, and Kingscliff looks set to continue his rise through the chasing ranks.

UTTOXETER 1.50: Conditions will be extremely testing if the meeting goes ahead and bets should be kept to a minimum. Haditovski , who jumped well when scoring at Market Rasen, is proven in heavy ground.

WARWICK 2.05: Runner-up to the well-handicapped Dulas Bay in this race two years ago, Arctic Fancy is fancied to go one better.

HAYDOCK 2.10: Beaten in tactical affairs at Cheltenham and Kempton, Rooster Booster faces another reverse here with the small field unlikely to bring out the best in the reigning champion hurdler. The vibes are strong for Jonjo O'Neill's expensive Australian import, Specular , winner of eight of his 10 starts.

UTTOXETER 2.20: A confirmed mudlark, Dancing Bay can follow up his Hexham victory. He bypasses tomorrow's valuable Pierse Hurdle to run here.

ASCOT 2.25: Count Tony could find conditions softer than he likes, but Immola revelled in the mud when winning by a distance at Sandown last season and has scope for improvement.

WARWICK 2.35: The manner in which Inglis Drever surged clear up the run-in at Sandown stamped him an outstanding novice.

WARWICK 3.05: Behrajan is used to carrying big weights, but he has yet to prove his stamina over extreme distances. Not so Akarus, who would probably have beaten Bindaree in the Welsh National with a clear round. That heavy fall may have left its mark on Akarus, and stablemate Take Control might be the value here. Pulled up at Chepstow, where he has never shown his form, Take Control is better judged on a creditable third behind Strong Flow in the Hennessy at Newbury in November.

WARWICK 3.35: Peter Bowen has worked wonders with his hurdlers Count Tony and Battle Warning this season, and Hirvine looks another potential money-spinner for his in-form stable.