WORCESTERSHIRE trainer Ian Williams can hit the mark at Newcastle if MY DAD SYD does what is expected of him.

Williams recently celebrated a 1,000th winner of his career, and looks to have found another nice race to further bolster the statistics.

The Betway Handicap over six furlongs is anything but a classic, but My Dad Syd is in sound enough form to anticipate a bold bid.

A good winner at Newbury in October, the four-year-old son of Acclamation then proved his aptitude for the Newcastle Tapeta surface when a neck second to Amood over seven furlongs.

He then served further notice of his well-being when a good third behind Pearl Spectre over the same trip at Chelmsford.

My Dad Syd tried to make all of the running under Robert Winston, and very nearly did so - only to get reeled in late on by the winner and runner-up Rockley Point.

To that end, it is completely possible that the selection will be in an even happier place over this shorter distance, especially as he has been left alone by the handicapper.

REBEL LIGHTNING should be up to the job in the totepoolliveinfo.com Handicap at Chelmsford.

The three-year-old grey has been in good heart since he won a Leicester seller in October, and produced a particularly good show at Lingfield late last month.

Rebel Lightning overcame a wide draw in the hands of Adam Kirby to take second spot behind Saleh in a blanket finish.

With Kirby having reassuringly kept the faith in Essex, trainer Richard Spencer will be optimistic his charge can go one place better off the same mark.

PLUCKY DIP looks the one to be with in the At totepool Tweet Us Your #toteELFIE Handicap.

A close third over this course and distance in November, John Ryan's three-year-old was then sent into battle in a much better race than this at Newcastle less than a week ago.

Plucky Dip did not disappoint as he was only three lengths adrift of Steel Train in a class two handicap over seven furlongs.

Back down in trip and in grade, this quick turnaround can yield smart profits from a yard that know the time of day.

PADDY THE DEEJAY could be the solution to the totepool Racecourse Cash Back Available Chase at Towcester.

The seven-year-old has not yet won a race in Britain, but he has recently held his own in fair company and was perhaps a little unlucky at Chepstow last month.

Stuart Edmunds' representative finished fifth in a three-mile handicap chase, but the stuffing was knocked out of him by a final-fence stumble.

Paddy The Deejay was well backed into 7-1 co-favouritism on that occasion, just as he was when a good fourth at Fontwell in October.

That is probably not surprising as he has taken a fair old descent in the ratings, so it would be no surprise to see the money arrive again in what is not a great race.

BINDON MILL make a fair bit of appeal in the World Darts Betting At 188Bet Maiden Hurdle at Exeter.

Victor Dartnall's seven-year-old is still winless from seven tries under Rules, but is pretty unexposed for his age and has turned in a clutch of performances that were not without merit.

Most significantly, with this race in mind, was when he got to within a nose of Captain Chaos in an extended two-and-a-quarter-mile novice hurdle at this track in February.

With that race having worked out quite well, Bindon Mill was then sent to Chepstow for his seasonal bow in November.

He did not do too badly, either, when fourth behind Verygoodverygood over just shy of two and a half miles.

Bindon Mill made a couple of mistakes that day, which cost him plenty of momentum, but it at least gives Dartnall something with which to work as his inmate takes another interesting step up in trip.

L'AMI SERGE should be the headline act in the 188Bet Graduation Chase.

The Grade One-winning hurdler has had a few setbacks since thoughts turned to chasing, but he is undeniably a very sharp animal capable of winning a very big prize this winter.

Third in both the JLT at Cheltenham and at the Aintree Festival, it will be interesting to see how Nicky Henderson plays his hand with L'Ami Serge this winter.

TODAY'S SELECTIONS

CHELMSFORD: 4.40 Omran, 5.15 Rebel Lightning, 5.50 With Pleasure, 6.25 Plucky Dip, 7.00 Mercy Me, 7.30 Catastrophe, 8.00 Farrah's Choice.

EXETER: 12.30 Arctic Lady, 1.00 Space Oddity, 1.30 Tagrita, 2.00 L'Ami Serge, 2.35 Long John, 3.10 Bindon Mill, 3.45 Brave Deed.

NEWCASTLE: 12.50 Arnarson, 1.20 Tailwind, 1.50 Go George Go, 2.20 Tectonic, 2.55 Ribbing, 3.30 MY DAD SYD (NAP), 4.05 Lady Nayef.

TOWCESTER: 12.10 Count Meribel, 12.40 Paddy The Deejay, 1.10 Samson, 1.40 Royal Native, 2.10 Clondaw Bisto, 2.45 Some Finish, 3.20 Biscuit.

TRAMORE: 12.25 Camelia De Cotte, 12.55 Adreamstillalive, 1.25 Torrent Des Mottes, 1.55 The Mooch, 2.25 Call Vinnie, 3.00 Gabrielleamee, 3.35 Westland Row.

DOUBLE: My Dad Syd and Paddy The Deejay.