North Yorkshire trainer Brian Ellison sends nap selection Artisan to Stratford today in the hope that the gelding can gain a victory and earn himself the option of joining half a dozen of his stable-mates at this week’s Cheltenham Festival.

Runner-up in two of his three outings over hurdles and an unlucky loser at Musselburgh, Artisan is currently in grave danger of missing the cut for Thursday’s Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle.

What he needs to project him up the list of runners is some extra weight, and a 7lb penalty is up for grabs this afternoon, if he can only get his head in front in the Try Our New Gallery Restaurant Juvenile Hurdle.

The four-year-old proved his well-being recently when winning a maiden Flat race at Southwell.

A follow-up victory today would be as handy as it would be timely to give Ellison the option of running him again at the Festival, where he will be represented by the likes of Stormy Weather, Red Inca, Bocciani and Ultimate.

Ellison has another good chance at Stratford with Mahfal in the Main Event Catering Selling Hurdle.

Jonjo O’Neill has had a quiet March to date, but the Gloucestershire trainer will be hoping to strike at Cheltenham this week and Surf And Turf can give him a confidence booster by winning the Alice’s Noodle Bar Novices’ Handicap Chase today.

The six-year-old finished runner-up at Folkestone and Leicester before coming to grief at the final fence when holding every chance at Warwick last month. As long as that tumble has not affected his confidence, Surf And Turf should go well here.

Tuskar Rock will not be short of supporters in the Firs Mitsubishi & Firs Ssangyong Handicap Chase.

The Venetia Williams-trained gelding shrugged off an 11-month absence to win at Leicester late last month. A 5lb rise in his rating might not be enough to stop him obliging again.

At Southwell tomorrow, Ingleby Arch deserves a round of applause if he manages to lift the Freebetting.co.uk Selling Stakes, which is likely.

Trained near Thirsk by David Barron, the nine-year-old has won no fewer than 11 races on this course, his latest success coming three weeks ago. He should make it a round dozen in the hands of Luke McNiff, Barron’s useful 5lb claimer.

Caldercruix is fancied to get punters off to a good start in the FreeBetting.co.uk Handicap.

The James Evans-trained gelding finished third over seven furlongs at Lingfield last time out, having previously occupied the same position over six furlongs on this course.

Raul Da Silva, who is making a good impression this year, takes the mount on Caldercruix, who is overdue a winning turn.

Paul Mulrennan, who recently returned to action after spending eight months on the sidelines with a broken leg, has good prospects of figuring on the scoresheet aboard Half A Billion in the six furlongs maiden.

Runner-up at Wolverhampton last October, Half A Billion has shown enough in maiden company to suggest he can open his account in average company on behalf of Darlington trainer Michael Dods.

Sandwith (4.25), who shaped well on his reappearance on this course last month when narrowly beaten into third by Canadian Danehill, and Turjuman (5.05), significantly the mount of Kieren Fallon, are two others to note.

• Tomorrow’s Cheltenham meeting will be previewed in The Press tomorrow.

Racing selections

Stratford (today)

2.10 Artisan (NAP), 2.40 Surf And Turf, 3.10 Mahfal, 3.40 Tuskar Rock, 4.10 Marcus Antonius, 4.40 Trifollet, 5.10 Hugo Drax.

Today’s other meetings

Plumpton and Taunton.

Southwell (tomorrow)

1.55 Caldercruix (NAP), 2.30 Alpha Tauri, 3.05 Half A Billion, 3.45 Ingleby Arch, 4.25 Sandwith, 5.05 Turjuman, 5.40 Cloudy Start.

Tomorrow’s other meetings

Cheltenham and Sedgefield.