LUCINDA EGERTON, who enjoyed a milestone victory at Market Rasen last week when Hi Bob provided her with her first winner as a trainer, heads to Uttoxeter today seeking an encore.

Danny Cook again teams up with the six-year-old, who has a 7lb penalty to overcome in the Draincare Handicap Chase.

Egerton, based at Birdsall near Malton, started out last season with a permit and was overjoyed to see Hi Bob come out on top in Lincolnshire. The form was nothing to write home about, but this afternoon's race is hardly any better and the North Yorkshire gelding has good prospects of winning twice in a week.

Zeroshadesofgrey will be hard to beat in the Draincare (Leicester) Novices' Hurdle.

Trained by Neil King, the five-year-old was a useful bumper horse last season, winning at Catterick and Doncaster. He could hardly have been more impressive on his hurdling bow at Uttoxeter a fortnight ago when he won by 20 lengths. He is napped to follow up.

King and his stable jockey Trevor Whelan can also land the Drain Repair And Maintenance Contractors Intermediate National Hunt Flat Race with The Boss's Dream, a winner over this course and distance a couple of weeks ago.

The promising Inca Dove (12.15) and Summertime Lady (1.55) are two others to note from the respective stables of Renee Robeson and Ben Pauling.

The first day of Newbury's Hennessy Gold Cup meeting, has cut up disappointingly, but what may be lacking in quantity is made up for in quality, led by Southfield Theatre in the featured bet365 Novices' Chase.

A high-class hurdler last season, Southfield Theatre, trained by Paul Nicholls, has won both his races over fences this term in the style of a very smart recruit to chasing. He should have too much class for his two rivals here and is fancied to lift a Grade 2 triumph in the hands of Sam Twiston-Davies.

Tony McCoy successfully returned to action at Fontwell yesterday after three weeks on the sidelines and will be warmly welcomed at Newbury, where he has chances throughout the afternoon.

The legendary jockey can start the card the way he means to go on aboard Jollyallan in the opening bet365 Novices' Hurdle.

Harry Fry's potentially useful gelding, a bumper winner last season, made a most encouraging start to his hurdling career when scoring at Exeter. He can follow-up here before going on to better things.

McCoy rides Spookydooky in the bet365.com Novices' Handicap Hurdle and Jonjo O'Neill's point-to-point winner deserves consideration.

Although he did not show an awful lot in novice company last season, Spookydooky is now into a handicap and starts out with a useful opening mark of 112. He can make his presence felt.

Yanworth offers McCoy another winning chance in the bet365.com National Hunt Flat Race.

Successful on his debut at Wincanton in the spring, Yanworth makes plenty of appeal as he returns to the fray as the only winner in the line-up.

Proven stayer Woodford County (1.00), an unlucky faller on his re-appearance at Sandown, and Huntingdon winner Ned Stark (2.45), who has more to offer, are two others to monitor at the Berkshire course.

 

Racing Selections

Newbury today
12.25 Jollyallan, 1.00 Woodford County, 1.35 Spookydooky, 2.10 Southfield Theatre, 2.45 Ned Stark, 3.15 Le Mercurey, 3.45 Yanworth.

Uttoxeter today
12.15 Inca Dove, 12.45 Zeroshadesofgrey (NAP), 1.20 Top Totti, 1.55 Summertime Lady, 2.30 Mortlestown, 3.05 Hi Bob, 3.35 The Boss's Dream.

Today's other meetings: Kempton and Taunton.

Tomorrow's meetings: Doncaster, Musselburgh, Newbury and Wolverhampton.