TOP northern jockey Brian Hughes, marching on towards his best ever campaign, can complete a double at Sedgefield this afternoon.

The Irish-born rider, who lives near Thirsk, has already ridden 75 winners this term, only 11 shy of his personal-best tally achieved last season.

Hughes, who has strong links with local trainers Malcolm Jefferson and Richard Fahey, rides for a host of stables and his Sedgefield fancies are handled by Barry Murtagh and John Wade.

The Murtagh-trained Prince Blackthorn has been running well lately, filling the frame in all his three starts this season and chasing home Zazamix on this course on his latest outing.

A previous course-and-distance winner, Prince Blackthorn is fancied to land the Happy 70th Birthday Grandad Tom Handicap Chase.

In the Happy 50th Birthday Gary Robinson Handicap Hurdle, Hughes will be aboard Stilo Blue Native, who has spent most of his career in Ireland and has had only one outing so far for Wade.

It was a promising effort.

Although no match for Aqalim on this course last month, Stilo Blue Native ran a creditable race to finish a ten-length runner-up.

The winner has since soared to a rating of 135, which gives some idea of what Stilo Blue Native was up against that day. He should go well this afternoon off a mark of 116 and is awarded the nap vote.

Astaroland may prove the answer to the Weatherbys Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide Handicap Hurdle.

Trained by Jenny Candlish, the five-year-old has finished runner-up on his last two starts at Leicester and on this course where he chased home Discoverie on his latest outing. It would be no surprise to see him go one better.

Also worth noting at Sedgefield are Ballymoat (4.15) and Shine A Diamond (4.45), both trained by Lucinda Russell.

Tayside-based Russell can also make her mark at Musselburgh with Island Heights and Present Lodger.

Island Heights, who lines up in the William Hill - On Your Mobile Novices’ Handicap Chase, is overdue a success over fences.

In three chasing runs, he has finished second every time, at Ayr, here and at Sedgefield.

Opportunity may come knocking for him here with Craig Nichol in the saddle.

Present Lodger is chasing a hat-trick of wins after successes at Ayr and Newcastle.

His rating has gone up from 92 and he is now off a career-high of 105. He faces no easy task in the William Hill - The Home Of Betting Handicap Chase, but he is in such great heart he can not be dismissed lightly.

The step back to two miles should suit Claude Carter in the Forth One Boogie In The Morning Handicap Hurdle.

The 11-year-old was a winner over this distance at this track two outings ago but has since been well beaten when stepped up to two and a half miles. He can bounce back today.

Also worth bearing in mind are John Quinn’s Arthurs Secret (1.50), runner-up in both his hurdles starts at Wetherby, and Sendiym (2.20), who has not run over jumps for nearly four months, but who had a pipe-opener on the Flat at Wolverhampton ten days ago.

Sedgefield today: 2.00 Aristo Du Plessis, 2.30 Astaroland, 3.05 Prince Blackthorn, 3.40 Stilo Blue Native (NAP), 4.15 Ballymoat, 4.45 Shine A Diamond.

Musselburgh today: 1.50 Arthurs Secret, 2.20 Sendiym, 2.55 Island Heights, 3.30 Claude Carter, 4.05 Present Lodger, 4.35 Pegasus Walk.

Today’s other meetings: Huntingdon and Chelmsford City.