Tim Easterby, who has had such a wonderful campaign on the Flat, is keen to keep the momentum going over jumps and the Great Habton trainer can show he means business at Wetherby's opening meeting of the season tomorrow.

Barton, a new recruit to the Easterby stable, lines up for the Hallfield Novices' Hurdle and is strongly fancied to make a successful launch in the hands of Lorcan Wyer.

Owned by Stan Clarke, whose colours were carried to victory in the 1997 Grand National by Lord Gyllene, Barton was previously trained by the now-retired Charlie Brooks at Lambourn.

First past the post in a bumper on his debut last season, Barton was unfortunately disqualified for taking the wrong course. On his only subsequent start, he finished a very creditable second to the high-class Muskill at Bangor.

An exciting prospect over hurdles, Barton can come through his first test here with flying colours.

Simply Gifted gives Easterby and Wyer another fine chance in the Benfield Ford Focus Juvenile Novices' Hurdle.

A winner on the Flat last year as a two-year-old, Simply Gifted failed to add to his tally this season, but has always looked an embryo hurdler. He has all the credentials to make a success of his new role.

Monarch's Pursuit, twice a winner at Wetherby last season from only three starts, represents Easterby and Wyer in the Yorkshire-Tyne Tees Television Handicap Hurdle.

This lightly-raced gelding has the scope to develop into a classy handicapper this season and tomorrow's race looks a perfect stepping stone for better things in the future.

Cumbrian Challenge, a real Wetherby specialist, is sure to give Easterby and Wyer a good run in the Tony Dickinson Handicap Chase but this campaigner often needs a race to put him right after a break and on this occasion the vote goes to Forestal.

Howard Johnson's gelding enjoyed a good novice campaign last season and, with Tony McCoy, the champion jockey in the saddle, he can return in a blaze of glory.

Johnson and McCoy can also win the Bobby Renton Novices' Handicap Chase with Kibby Bank, who missed a tempting engagement at Sedgefield today to wait for this more valuable target.

At Haydock's Flat meeting a note should be made of Unshaken in the featured £10,000 49's Handicap. Eric Alston's four-year-old failed to make the cut in the Coral Sprint Trophy at York last Saturday, which proved a shame as he would have gone into battle with a solid chance after finishing a three-quarter length second to Sihafi at Haydock recently.

TOMORROW'S TIPS

WETHERBY

2.20 Barton (NAP)

2.50 Simply Gifted

3.20 Kibby Bank

3.50 Forestal

4.20 Monarch's Pursuit

4.50 Sister Rose

HAYDOCK

2.00 Piggy Bank

2.30 Chatting

3.00 Alcazar

3.30 Unshaken

4.00 Entertainer

4.30 Bombastic

5.00 Vellum

5.30 Shaylan

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.