Malton trainer Richard Fahey returns Altay to action - weather permitting - at Musselburgh tomorrow in the hope of seeing the gelding gain a sizeable launch pad to next month's Cheltenham Festival.

The £15,000 John Smith's Handicap Hurdle, the feature race on the card, is the target for Altay, who has been restricted to just three outings this season.

Little wonder that Fahey is keeping his fingers crossed that the course is passed fit for racing, following a planned inspection early tomorrow to ensure that wintry weather has not made conditions unsafe.

Winner of the valuable Swinton Hurdle at Haydock in May, Altay has been largely conspicuous by his absence since. Found to be off-colour after his late-autumn reappearance at Cheltenham, he was off the course since last month's Lanzarote Hurdle at Kempton, where he finished seventh after weakening on the run to the final flight.

Sure to have benefitted from that outing, which took place on ground softer than ideal, Altay should have underfoot conditions to his liking tomorrow. A worthy top-weight, his proven class should stand him in good stead and he is awarded the nap vote.

Howard Johnson is enjoying a fine campaign, especially with horses belonging to his new big-spending owner, Graham Wylie, co-founder of the Sage computer group.

Factor Fifteen could be the latest success-story for Johnson and Wylie in the McEwan's 60 Maiden Hurdle. Graham Lee again has the mount.

Only One Matty, a winner on this course at the previous meeting, is fancied to follow up in the McEwan's 70 Novices' Hurdle (Qualifier).

Sheriff Hutton trainer Tim Walford can figure among the winners with Guilsborough Gorse, narrowly denied on his latest visit to this course, in the Kronenbourg 1664 Open Hunters' Chase.

At Southwell, Broughton Knows, unbeaten this year, can extend his impressive winning sequence in the betdirect.co.uk Banded Stakes.

Sunday's tips:

Musselburgh

(6.30am inspection)

2-15 Factor Fifteen, 2-45 Only One Matty, 3-15 Gangsters R Us, 3-45 The Tinker, 4-15 Altay (NAP), 4-45 Guilsborough Gorse, 5-15 Suggest

Southwell

2-25 Dancing King, 2-55 Fleeting Moon, 3-25 Enjoy The Buzz, 3-55 Broughton Knows, 4-25 Henry Tun, 4-55 Maggie's Pet

Lingfield

1-35 Welsh Wind, 2-05 Alfridini, 2-35 Legal Set, 3-05 Steely Dan, 3-35 Bells Beach, 4-05 Aveiro, 4-35 Xaloc Bay, 5-05 Double Ransom

There are no other meetings tomorrow.

Updated: 11:20 Saturday, February 28, 2004