It may be 364 days before he hangs his stocking again, but there were no St Stephen's Day blues for Peter Maddison as Lothian Falcon flew to victory in the £50,000 skybet.com Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase at Wetherby.

Cloudy Lane could be another Grand National horse for the McCain family after a cheeky win in the Sodexho Prestige Tommy Whittle Handicap Chase at Haydock.

SUE SMITH is making a three-pronged assault on the Sky Bet Chase today in a bid to keep the Doncaster prize in Yorkshire.

Howard Johnson’s powerful string has suffered a few reverses in recent days but Deja Vu got the County Durham trainer back in the winning groove at Sedgefield today.

A rejuvenated Florida Pearl promises to be the star attraction for racegoers at Ascot on Saturday.

First-season trainer Bridget Nicholls intends to run Lord Noelie in the renamed £50,000 (€72,000) Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster if the ground is suitable.

IRISH permit holder Ger Farrell was fined a total of £1,150 by the Jockey Club’s disciplinary panel yesterday after an inquiry into events surrounding the running of Precious Music at Doncaster nearly a year ago.

SHOTGUN WILLY has been declared for Saturday’s Gala Casinos Daily Record Scottish Grand National at Ayr but is likely to miss the race, according to owner Graham Roach.

Barryscourt Lad, winner of the skybet.com Great Yorkshire Chase at Doncaster on Saturday, looks set to miss the rest of the season after returning home lame.

Ferdy Murphy has mapped out January targets for three of his top handicap chasers, Ballinclay King, Paris Pike and Historg.

PHILIP HOBBS’ two possible contenders for the Smurfit Champion Hurdle - Rooster Booster and In Contrast - are set to clash at Cheltenham on Sunday.

Ominously for punters in the week of the Martell Grand National, the recent trend for shocks in big handicaps is showing no sign of coming to an end.

The ride on Martell Grand National favourite Moor Lane is still up for grabs, it has emerged.

Wetherby's meeting survived an early-morning inspection after first frost and then snow had put the fixture in doubt.