THE famous Grand National fences come into play for the first time this season when 11 runners contest the Grand Sefton Handicap Chase (2.45) with the weights headed by the Nicky Henderson-trained Fantastic Lady off a rating of 145.

She will need to win this and possibly at least one more race to get into the big race in April, especially with only 34 set to go to post, so should be fit enough to do herself justice.

However, she may just find lumping around 12 stone here on testing ground too much and I fancy we will get a big run out of the complete outsider in the contest, GANAPATHI.

Mike Smith’s runner was never really at the races on his seasonal debut behind Tommy’s Oscar at Kelso and only really got going when the race was done and dusted, eventually finishing fourth of the six runners.

This distance remains an unknown to him, but the selection remains unexposed over fences (two wins from eight outings) and may well relish this kind of test.

Of his rivals, I have the most respect for Percussion, third in both this race and the Becher Chase also over the big fences 12 months ago, and Born By The Sea who ran an absolute cracker to finish sixth in the Grand National behind Coach Rambler.

In receipt of 7lbs from the penalised Minella Double, MAGICAL KING could well be the call in the opening novice hurdle at 12.25. In another stride the selection would have nutted Yes Day on the line at Uttoxeter last time out and should be suited to the long homeward run here.

The big hurdle race of the day is at 3.20 which has sadly only attracted the three declared runners and in receipt of 9lbs from the old boy Brewin’upastorm, the seven-year-old WEST BALBOA has solid claims for the Skelton clan. She ended last season on a high when landing the big staying hurdle at the Liverpool track last year and the drop to two-and-a-half mile shouldn’t prove insurmountable here.

I fancy that this youngster could turn into a leading contender for the Stayers Hurdle come Cheltenham Festival time. If she wins decisively here then the 33/1 ante-post for that big race could look quite interesting.

The only other race I am interested in on the card is the Pertemps Hurdle Qualifier due off at 1.35, with GENTLEMAN AT ARMS the pick of his light weight.

The six-year-old has two wins to his name from 13 starts over timber, but for the most part last season was out of form which in turn has seen his handicap mark plummet from a high of 143 to his current rating of just 124.

Hopefully, his first run of the season at Uttoxeter should have brought him on a bundle, as it needs to have done, and he is a speculative each-way play against the likes of Imperial Merlin and the old boy Remastered. The last named regularly takes in this race as a starting point on his way to running in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury early next month.

The 62^nd running of the Badger Beer Handicap Chase at 2.25 is the big punting race at Wincanton this afternoon and that remarkable old boy will be bidding to defend his title off top weight of 158. However, this time around the ground will be very different, good to firm to soft and he may well have his work cut out to give 16lbs away to ASHDOWN LAD.

The Skelton’s charge had a brilliant season last term only being out of the first three on one occasion and that was when a beaten favourite in the Topham Handicap Chase at Aintree in April. The handicapper has dropped him 2lbs for that run and with conditional jockey Tristan Durrell taking a further 5lbs off his back here, the selection is now 1lb lower than when winning the Becher Chase 12 months ago. Sam Brown is an interesting rival if his back end falls haven’t left their mark, while I wouldn’t put anyone off an each-way play on the talented outsider Blackjack Magic.

I fancy that ALTO ALTO should go well in the two-and-a-half-mile handicap chase at 2.15, while it could well pay to have a second look at GREAT SNOW in the mare handicap hurdle at 3.32.

With the rain having put paid to the final turf flat meeting at Doncaster, the whole card has been transferred to the sand at Newcastle, which is unfortunate for those ante-post players in the November Handicap. Still, what else did you expect from the BHA surely they should have run it on an alternative turf track!

In the circumstances, it is hard to get away from Charlie Appleby’s LOCAL DYNASTY in the mile-and-a-half event due off at 3.45. The Godolphin charge was last seen at the July meeting at Newmarket when a never nearer fourth in the three-year-old, 10 furlong handicap and looks sure to relish this step up in trip being a son of Dubawi out of a Shamardal mare.

The likes of Chillingham and Teumessias Fox (goes very well when fresh) looks sure to go well, while big outsider Furzig could easily outrun his massive odds as well.

Finally, the best value bet at the Gosforth Park track could very well be TACARIB BAY in the Listed Wentworth Stakes at 2.05. Richard Hannon’s charge only ran some five days ago at Kempton Park over seven furlongs when he was hardly suited by the run of the race. He now drops down to six furlongs for the first time since his debut run in May 2021 when he won at Haydock Park on soft ground.

A fast early pace here should be perfect for this son of Night and Thunder and I fully expect him to be putting it down in the closing stages and see off the challenges of Aberama Gold and Brad The Brief.