Book Of Music can bounce back from a poor run at Chester to show his true colours at Pontefract tomorrow.

Presumptuous, part-owned by former trainer Jack Berry and his son Sam, landed his second race over timber in the hands of David O’Meara in the Betfred Handicap Hurdle at Southwell.

Only five of the 14 that set out in the opening Betfred Novices’ Handicap Chase at Southwell completed and they were led home by Lord Rodney in the hands of Tom Siddall.

Alfred The Great proved the class act with a stylish victory over some well-touted rivals in the gg.com Introductory Hurdle at Kelso.

Peter Beaumont received a welcome tonic when Cloudless Dawn ran away with the opening race on Yorkshire Post day at Doncaster.

Graham Lee, the leading rider at last week’s Cheltenham Festival, continued his rich vein of form with a near 93-1 treble on Rogues Gallery, Manbow and Rayshan at Wetherby today.

Peter Beaumont is keen to give 2002 Royal & SunAlliance Chase winner Hussard Collonges a run this weekend but is undecided as to where to send his stable star.

Two teenage girls were facing life in prison today after being found guilty of the murder of a middle-aged man they accused of making an indecent proposal during a party.

Controversial Islamic cleric Abu Hamza will appear at the Old Bailey today charged with a string of offences including soliciting murder.

Truckers Tavern was this morning reported none the worse for his fall in an incident-packed Rowland Meyrick Chase at Wetherby yesterday.

Truckers Tavern and Hussard Collonges, two of the north’s leading Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup hopes, are set to meet in the skybet.com Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase at Wetherby tomorrow.

The woman arrested today with police liaison officer Brian Stevens was Louise Austin, an administrator with the Crown Prosecution Service, who had a relationship with Stevens before he married, according to reports.

FOXCHAPEL KING heads the 26 entries left in the attheraces Gold Cup at Sandown on Saturday following yesterday’s confirmation stage.

THIRTY-NINE horses remain in the €170,000 Powers Gold Label Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday.

Best Mate will face 15 rivals tomorrow as he bids to become the first horse since L’Escargot to win successive Tote Cheltenham Gold Cups.

Hussard Collonges has been a "nearly" horse this season but that could all change in the big one a week on Thursday.

CONNECTIONS of Davids Lad will have their appeal heard at the Irish Turf Club next Monday at 3pm as they bid to overturn a punishment that would rule their horse out of the Martell Cognac Grand National.

A LONDON-BASED Muslim cleric accused of supporting Osama bin Laden was found guilty yesterday of urging his followers to kill “enemies of Islam” in a holy war against non-believers.

Hussard Collonges, who sidestepped a trip to Ireland on Sunday, will not have another outing before the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup but will make a couple of racecourse visits as part of his Festival build up.

Hussard Collonges, who sidestepped a trip to Ireland today, will not have another outing before the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup but will make a couple of racecourse visits as part of his Festival build up.

Next month is an exciting one for jumping fans and the main pretender to Best Mate’s Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup crown is likely to emerge after a showdown at Leopardstown on February 9.

Hussard Collonges can cement his position as a leading contender for top chasing honours this season with victory in next month’s Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown.

Hopefully the weather will relent sufficiently for Haydock Park to stage the Betdirect Peter Marsh Chase next Saturday, a three-mile event which often supplies a high-class winner and has in the past proved a good trial for the top prizes later in the season.

MIGHTY STRONG can get his season back on track today with a win in the Lane Fox Chase (Showcase Handicap) at Newbury.

Colonel Braxton, one of last season’s leading novice chasers, will miss both his possible engagements at Navan on Sunday in favour of an outing at Down Royal a week later.

Niki Dee is set to head for the Martell Grand National without the benefit of a prep race, it was revealed today.

Peter Beaumont is dreaming of training a second winner of the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup after Hussard Collonges sprung a 33-1 surprise in the £125,000 Royal & SunAlliance Chase.

Paul Nicholls edged closer to his best seasonal total of 110 after reaching the 82-winner mark with Devon View at Leicester.

Peter Beaumont is facing a race against time to have another tilt at the Martell Grand National with Niki Dee.