BRIAN HUGHES, the North's leading jockey, who rides in six of the seven races at Newcastle this afternoon, will significantly be reacquainted with Three Kingdoms, who has the scope to make a big impression over fences in the months ahead.

Trained at Newmarket by John Ferguson, Three Kingdoms proved himself a very able horse over hurdles. He made his chasing debut, with Hughes on board, at Leicester last month and came through his first test with flying colours.

The five-year-old has only three rivals in this afternoon's Ikis Business Consultants Novices' Chase, but one of those is the David O'Meara-trained Ifandbutwhynot, a Listed hurdle winner, who promises to come into his own over fences sooner rather than later.

Three Kingdoms has to concede weight to his opponents, courtesy of the penalty he picked-up at Leicester, but he promises to take plenty of beating in his bid to make it two-from-two over fences under the high-flying Hughes, pictured, who can also score on Trust Thomas.

A consistent type, Trust Thomas won on this course four weeks ago. A sound jumper, he has every chance of doubling-up in the AIS Training Handicap Chase in which his rivals include Categorical, another recent course winner.

Cumbrian trainer Nicky Richards has a high opinion of Western Rules, who lines-up in the ITPS National Hunt Flat Race.

The handsome four-year-old made his debut over this course and distance last month and, despite looking green, made a winning start to his career and came in for fulsome praise from his trainer who believes him to be a useful horse in the making.

It is never easy for any youngster to win two bumper, but Western Rules could be one of the exceptions and he is napped to fulfil his initial promise. Brian Harding has the mount.

Stuart Coltherd won the PD Ports Novices' Handicap Chase twelve months ago with Sharney Sike and the Falkirk trainer can produce a repeat in the corresponding event with Aye Well, the mount of smart claimer John Kington.

The nine-year-old went down fighting when beaten only half a length by Montoya's Son over this course and distance 12 days ago. A reproduction of that form will make him hard to beat.

Funky Munky is not the easiest of horses to win with, but the recent Catterick scorer may be able to oblige again in the Mtrec Recruitment And Training Handicap Hurdle.

Alistair Whillans' gelding saw his race out gamely at Catterick last week and the big bonus is that, because that was a conditional jockeys' affair, he escapes a penalty this afternoon. Ryan Day, excellent value for his 7lb allowance, has the mount.

At Kempton's twilight Flat meeting, Lacan may prove the answer to the featured Download The BetVictor App Now Handicap.

Trained by Marco Botti, who also saddles another fancied contender in Energia Flavio, Lacan shaped well on his all-weather debut at Wolverhampton a fortnight ago when finishing second to Brocklebank, conceding the winner 8lb. He is entitled to go well here under Martin Harley.

Also worthy of respect at Kempton are the Brian Ellison-trained Laika (5.20), a former bumper horse who performed well at Wolverhampton last week, and Aqua Ardens (6.50), a four-time turf winner between July and September, who went down by only a neck when switched to Polytrack on this course three weeks ago.

* Cockney Sparrow, winner of last season's Grade 2 Scottish Champion Hurdle and described by Norton trainer John Quinn as "the best mare I've trained," has died of colic.

The five-year-old, originally trained by Peter Chapple-Hyam for whom she won twice on the Flat, proved herself a high-class performer over hurdles with a rating of 152 and chased home My Tent Or Yours in last season's Group 1 Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle.

"She was a proper Grade 2 mare. She won a Listed race at Wetherby, won at Aintree on Grand National day and produced a tremendous performance for a second-season hurdler to win the Scottish Champion Hurdle at Ayr, where she also won for us on the Flat on Ayr Gold Cup day," said Quinn. "She was the best mare I've trained."

Cockney Sparrow, who was preparing to come back into training, began showing signs of colic on Monday. Quinn explained; "She went downhill very rapidly. She died even before the vet could get to her. It's a great shame and I feel very sorry for her owners, Paul and Joanne Gaffney, who had some great days with her and would have bred from her in due course. She would have made a lovely brood-mare."

Selections

Newcastle today
12.20 Born To Succeed, 12.50 Three Kingdoms, 1.20 Some Lad, 1.50 Trust Thomas, 2.20 Funky Munky, 2.50 Aye Well, 3.20 Western Rules (NAP).

Kempton today
3.50 Lewamy, 4.20 Chicago Bere, 4.50 Wentworth Falls, 5.20 Laika, 5.50 More Drama, 6.20 Lacan, 6.50 Aqua Ardens.

Today’s other meetings: Taunton and Warwick.

Tomorrow’s meetings: Cheltenham, Bangor, Doncaster and Wolverhampton.