FOUR and a half weeks since being left with a double fracture of an arm in a crashing last-flight fall at Musselburgh, Danny Cook is set to return to action today at Newcastle - provided the meeting goes ahead.

The Malton jockey is hoping more than most than last night’s frost was not as sharp as was forecast and the green light for racing is given at High Gosforth Park.

Cook sustained damage to his forearm and wrist in his latest spill, which came at a time when he was enjoying a purple patch. He had already posted 25 winners this season, only five shy of his previous best total.

Cook has been riding out for Sue and Harvey Smith and also for Norton trainer Brian Ellison, his number one trainer, who supplies him with his comeback mount this afternoon on Masirann in the opening SV Rutter Novices’ Hurdle.

The seven-year-old may need to produce an improved effort if he is to provide Cook with a winner, but the rider will be pleased simply to be back in action after frustratingly missing the whole of the busy festive schedule of racing.

While Westend Star, a winning point-to-pointer, now trained by Donald McCain, gets the vote in Masirann’s race, all eyes will be on Steel Summit in the ESH Handicap Hurdle.

The David Dennis-trained gelding has rattled up a hat-trick of wins since Boxing Day, scoring at Huntingdon, Taunton and last Thursday at Doncaster, where he absolutely trotted up under Aidan Coleman.

He has a whopping 14lb penalty to carry today, but Dennis has handed the ride to conditional jockey Shane Quinlan, whose lack of experience earns him the right to claim a full 10lb allowance. Steel Summit promises to take plenty of beating with that proportion of his welter penalty being erased.

Mighty Cliche left favourite backers with burned fingers on his most recent visit to this course when he blundered and unseated his conditional rider.

Brian Hughes takes over in the saddle this afternoon and Dianne Sayer’s gelding, who had previously finished a good second at Hexham, is worth noting in the STP Construction Handicap Chase.

Special Wells and Fill The Power have good prospects of providing Sue Smith with a double.

The Pinpoint Recruitment Handicap Hurdle is the target for Special Wells, who won in determined style at Wetherby’s Christmas meeting, while the featured £10,000 Newcastle Flooring Handicap Chase is lined up for Fill The Power, a respectable third at Haydock on his latest start to Broadway Buffalo and previously runner-up to Milborough at Carlisle.

At Newbury, Top Gamble is napped to have the measure of Far West and others in the Betfred Goals Galore Novices’ Handicap Chase.

A new recruit this season to Richard Lee’s yard, Top Gamble has looked a smart chaser, winning by six lengths at Wetherby and by seven lengths last time at Warwick. This is another step up for him, but he is selected to come through with flying colours and complete a hat-trick of successes over fences. Jamie Moore rides.

The Betfred Mobile Handicap Chase offers Smiles For Miles an opportunity to resume winning ways.

David Pipe’s seven-year-old was far from disgraced at Chepstow last time and had previously scored at the same track and at Wetherby. He is a strong galloper and sound jumper and this course should bring out the best in him.

Few Newbury meetings come and go without Nicky Henderson figuring among the winners and this one is likely to be no exception.

The nearby Lambourn trainer has several good chances and is fancied to score with Sugar Baron (2.15), who looked good at Ascot in a bumper, and the newcomer Might Bite (4.00), who has a decent pedigree and who also has Barry Geraghty on board.

Newbury today: 1.10 Brook, 1.45 Top Gamble (NAP), 2.15 Sugar Baron, 2.50 Smiles For Miles, 3.25 Gabriella Rose, 4.00 Might Bite.

Newcastle today: 12.30 Westend Star, 1.00 Gingili, 1.35 Mighty Cliche, 2.05 Special Wells, 2.40 Steel Summit, 3.15 Fill The Power, 3.50 Kilas Girl.

Today’s other meetings: Lingfield and Kempton.