BRIAN HUGHES, the leading northern jockey over jumps this season, and currently fifth in the championship table, travels to Newbury today with good prospects of adding to his 60-plus winners this season.

Hughes, who rides for Malcolm Jefferson and a whole host of other Yorkshire trainers, has made a connection this season with Berkshire handler Mick Channon, trainer of Viva Steve, who runs in the CSP Novices' Handicap Chase.

The six-year-old has yet to get off the mark in four runs over fences, but he has shown plenty of promise and has finished runner-up at Market Rasen on his last two starts.

Viva Steve is napped to go one better this afternoon and make Hughes' rare trip to Newbury well worthwhile.

The £20,000 Swegon Group UK Graduation Chase sees the reappearance of Easter Day, who was a useful novice last season.

Although restricted to only three outings, he won two of them, on this course and at Ascot. His comeback will be eagerly awaited by trainer Paul Nicholls, pictured, who has always thought plenty about him. A winning effort is anticipated.

Communicator is a very interesting runner in the Only 8 Sleeps Till Christmas Maiden Hurdle.

Trained by Jonjo O'Neill, the six-year-old shaped extremely well to finish second to the subsequently high-class Josses Hill on his debut over hurdles on this course in December last year. He has since pursued a Flat career and has done well, ending up with a fourth-placed effort in the November Handicap at Doncaster last month.

Communicator has the ability to capitalise back over hurdles and is fancied to take a deal of beating.

Tony McCoy, rider of Communicator, also has the mount on Jalingo for John Ferguson in the Blackmore Building Juvenile Hurdle.

McCoy, who rode three winners from three mounts at Catterick yesterday after being held-up en route to the course by a traffic delay on the M1, looks a significant booking for this three-year-old, formerly trained on the Flat by Mark Johnston and the winner of one of his four starts.

Nicky Henderson saddles Jack Frost in the EBF Stallions Novices' Hurdle and his unbeaten six-year-old is entitled to go well, despite taking a rise in class.

Winner of his only two starts in bumpers, Jack Frost also scored on his hurdling bow to keep a clean sheet. This event will be his toughest task to date, but he is not to be underestimated.

On the Flat at Lingfield, York-based jockey Robert Winston could start the day with a winner courtesy of Pearl Ransom in the Coral Classified Selling Stakes.

It is some time since this four-year-old last ran, but he was a winner on this course in February and his shrewd trainer Alan Bailey is assured of having him fit and well for his comeback run.

Razor Wind may prove the answer to the Coral Mobile 'Just Three Clicks To Bet' Handicap, the feature race on the card.

The Godolphin runner has developed into a consistent type and went down by only a neck on this course last time after previously scoring at Wolverhampton.

He looks sure to give Adam Kirby a good ride.

Also worth noting at the Surrey course are a couple of juvenile newcomers. The William Haggas-trained Moon Eyes (1.00) has an eye-catching pedigree being by Oasis Dream out of the useful Enticing, while Master Of Irony (1.30) is another with useful credentials, being a son of Makfi, and trained by Ralph Beckett.

Master Of Irony will be partnered by Jamie Spencer, who, having announced his shock retirement at York in August, has now done a U-turn and has declared that he will continue his career and operate as a freelance rider next year, which is good news for fans of the jockey.


Selections

Newbury today
12.10 Jalingo, 12.40 Viva Steve (NAP), 1.10 Communicator, 1.40 Winston Churchill, 2.15 Easter Day, 2.45 Jack Frost, 3.20 The Missus.

Lingfield today
12.30 Pearl Ransom, 1.00 Moon Eyes, 1.30 Master Of Irony, 2.00 Fennann, 2.35 Razor Wind, 3.10 Ghost Train, 3.40 Salient.

Today’s other meetings
Kempton and Ludlow.

Tomorrow’s meetings
Exeter, Kempton, Southwell and Towcester.