SHOWTIME STAR can make the most of his optimum distance and track as he lines up in the Unibet Offer Daily Jockey/Trainer Specials Handicap at Southwell.

Gay Kelleway's charge has recorded three of his five wins over six furlongs at the Nottinghamshire venue and served notice he could soon be back in winning form with a couple of decent placed efforts of late.

The six-year-old has not got his head in front since winning over six furlongs at Lingfield back in August but his recent third over the minimum trip at Southwell signalled a slight rise in hopes.

Showtime Star disputed the lead for most of the race but just got ran out of it in the closing stages, eventually being beaten by a length and a quarter.

The Byron gelding ran well that day but a switch back up to six furlongs can prove key here and he is taken to strike as today's nap choice with Luke Morris on board.

Morris is also booked to ride WHITE BULLET, who brings some classy form to the table as she returns to action in the New Unibet Racing App Download Maiden Stakes.

Sir Mark Prescott obviously thinks a bit of this Exceed And Excel filly as he pitched her into Listed company at York on her debut last May – and she nearly stepped up to the challenge as she was beaten by two and a half lengths in third.

Kept to the same level in the Empress Stakes at Newmarket on her next outing, White Bullet was beaten just a neck by Pattern-placed Katies Diamond and would likely have won had she not drifted across the track.

Understandably sent off a long odds-on shot at Beverley in July last year, she found nothing when asked for her effort on the Westwood and it is probably best to put a line through that run as she has not been seen since.

Clearly an animal of some potential, this race can provide a nice confidence boost with better targets likely to be on connections' minds in due course.

If WOLFCATCHER is to justify his Triumph Hurdle entry, he really should be winning the Racing UK Winter Season Ticket Juvenile Hurdle at Market Rasen.

Twice a winner on the Flat for Andre Fabre last year, Wolfcatcher made a fine debut on these shores for John Ferguson when running out a six-length victor at this track in December.

The four-year-old was always in control that day and his jumping improved as the race went on, suggesting that further progression is not an unreasonable expectation here.

He has a penalty to shoulder this time but that should present few problems for jockey Aidan Coleman.

SHARPASAKNIFE was an 11-length victor on his racecourse debut last month and is the choice in the EBF Stallions "National Hunt" Novices' Hurdle.

The six-year-old hails from a decent family, with each of his three siblings all winning at least once, and Sharpasaknife showed he had inherited some of the family ability at Wetherby.

An impressive looker, he merely had to be pushed along to pull clear and won with the minimum of fuss, suggesting another event such as this would be well within in his compass. Brian Hughes has the ride today.

VERKO fell just short off a career-high mark of 104 last time but can make amends in the Jardines Catering Handicap Chase at Sedgefield.

He won three on the bounce before that defeat but a little break should have freshened him up nicely. Finian O'Toole rides today.