Always Rainbows, a former useful novice hurdler, has good prospects of ending a long losing spell at Catterick tomorrow.

The ex-Irish gelding, trained at Nawton near Helmsley by Brian Rothwell, goes for the Birmingham Handicap Hurdle and is fancied to return to the winning groove under Anthony Ross.

Always Rainbows had seemed to have rather lost his way since looking a bright prospect at the beginning of his hurdling career two seasons back, but the six-year-old produced a more encouraging performance on his latest start when finishing third to Nowell House at Carlisle, where he wore blinkers for the first time.

There is no doubt that Always Rainbows has slipped to a good mark in the handicap. Tomorrow, on better ground than he encountered at Carlisle, he has the opportunity to capitalize on it.

Bourgeois gets my vote in the Weatherbys Bank Novices' Hurdle over two miles.

A course and distance winner two outings ago, Tim Easterby's useful Flat racer has since pulled up on heavy ground at Wetherby.

Tomorrow's sounder surface should be ideal for Bourgeois as he bids to regain the winning thread.

The Leeds Selling Hurdle will not take a great deal of winning and Bergamo could prove the answer.

Brian Ellison's charge has proved frustrating to follow, often figuring in the frame, but finding it difficult to get his head in front. Opportunity promises to come knocking for him here, following an outing on the Flat last month.

At Bangor, Macnance is napped to clinch the Tote Bookmakers Handicap Hurdle.

Richard Lee's eight-year-old has proved admirably consistent this season and, although finishing out of the money at Haydock last time, he ran a fine race to finish sixth in wram company. Tomorrow's extra half mile is expected to bring further improvement.

Alan King, warming up to next week's Cheltenham Festival, can lift the JPCS Mares' Only National Hunt Novices' Hurdle with Doce Vida.

The six-year-old is already a dual winner this season and tomorrow's contest looks well within her scope.

Jonjo O'Neill apears to be back in top form after a brief quiet spell, the Gloucestershire trainer saddling a four-timer last Saturday plus another winner at Market Rasen on Sunday.

O'Neill can add to his increasing tally courtesy of Be The Tops, who returns from a length absence to contest the Holwell Handicap Chase.

Wednesday's tips:

Catterick

2.05 Bergamo, 2.40 Grey Ciseaux, 3.15 Bourgeois, 3.50 Magical Field, 4.25 Always Rainbows, 5.00 Golden Chimes, 5.30 Alcopop.

Bangor

2.15 Bernini, 2.50 Nev Brown, 3.25 Doce Vida, 4.00 Be The Tops, 4.35 Macnance (Nap), 5.10 Alleged Slave, 5.40 Upham Lord.

Tomorrow's other meeting is at Chepstow.

Updated: 12:08 Tuesday, March 09, 2004