Horse Racing: Rivals won't beat Drum

Howard Johnson's five-year-old had a productive time over timber last season and was one of the best juveniles in the North.

After easy victories at Kelso, Sedgefield and Doncaster he took his chance in the Triumph Hurdle, and was not totally disgraced. He was pulled up at Aintree but that could have been because it was the end of a long season and he showed there were no ill effects when bounding to success on his chasing debut at Kelso.

Johnson and jockey Denis O'Regan can double up with Gringo, who takes his chance in the Casino At Bet365 Beginners' Chase. The eight-year-old has not been a bad hurdler down the years and now turns his attentions to the bigger obstacles.

He finished second to Take The Breeze in a good handicap at Sandown a couple of years ago and ran well back there in April. He is now rated over 130 and his astute handler obviously thinks the time is right for fences. If he takes to them, he could be above average.

Ceto has shown enough on her first four appearances to suggest she can land Southwell's Encounters Restaurant Maiden Fillies' Stakes. The three-year-year-old has filled the runner-up spot twice and bumped into a decent sort in Mark Johnston's Loveinthesand over six furlongs here at the start of the month.

The way she stayed on that day suggests this step up in trip could bring about further improvement and she should go well in what is a race that is low on quality.

Bryan Smart's Positivity gets the vote in the closing Betdaq Betting Exchange Handicap.

From nine visits to the course, the four-year-old has won twice and been placed a further four times. She is up another 3lb for a neck win here last week, but it could be that the assessor has not caught up with her just yet.

Over at Naas, An Cathaoir Mor should win the Woodlands Park 100 Nas Na Riogh Chase, while Tranquil Sea can advertise his Ryanair claims with a victory in the paddypowerpoker.com Chase.