The long spell of dry weather has taken its toll on Wetherby's opening meeting of the jumps season tomorrow.

The two steeplechases originally scheduled have been cancelled and instead there will be six hurdle races.

Despite consistent watering of the course since August, Wetherby has proved unable to escape the effects of its driest period in 27 years.

"The chase course is firm, hard in places, and unraceable," said Wetherby racecourse chief executive Tim Betteridge.

"The hurdle course is good to firm, firm in places, and we are watering it. The ground will still be quick, but it's safe and raceable.

Tomorrow's meeting, in aid of Spinal Research, will now include two additional substitute hurdle races to replace the steeplechases.

Banningham Blaze will be hard to beat in the Rideaway Saddlery and Country Clothing Juvenile Novices' Hurdle.

Robert Thornton's mount has shaped well in all her three outings over timber and now looks ready to break her duck. A useful handicapper on the Flat, she should have too much pace for her rivals.

The huge West Country stable of Paul Nicholls is gradually gathering pace and my Nap selection Rigmarole has an excellent chance of providing Nicholls with victory in the £20,000 Rocom BT Showcase Handicap Hurdle.

A winner over this course and distance, Rigmarole has also been won at Newton Abbot and Bangor. Despite having to carry top weight, he should run well tomorrow on his favourite ground.

The Lew Rhind Racecourse Bookmaker Maiden Hurdle looks a good chance for Analyze to break his duck at the first time of asking.

The five-year-old, a decent winner on the Flat, has joined Brendan Powell for a jumping campaign and looks to have all the right credentials to make a success of his new career..

The McCain Novices' Handicap Hurdle will not take a great deal of winning and Bolton Barrie will surely be hard to beat.

The five-year-old, a recent winner, has a 7lb penalty to overcome, but should be able to do so in this modest company.

Tomorrow's Flat racing centres on the all-weather track at Lingfield.

Frankie Dettori is nine short of his century for the season after riding a winner at Ayr yesterday.

With international commitments in the near future, he faces a race against time to clock-up the domestic ton before the end of the season.

Dettori has good prospects tomorrow on the promising Tropical Storm in division one of the Mail Newspapers Maiden Stakes, the useful-looking Duescals in the W H Smith Group Plc Handicap, and Turner in the Newstrade Maiden Stakes.

Richard Hughes is enjoying a lucrative autumn and he can likewise make his presence felt on the Surrey course.

Hughes has good prospects on Oro Verde in the Higgs Conditions Stakes and also aboard Bold Ewar in the Dawson News Ltd Handicap.

Tomorrow's tips

Wetherby:

2.20 Banningham Blade, 2.55 Analyze, 3.30 Rigmarole (Nap), 4.05 Music To My Ears, 4.40 El Cordobes, 5.15 Bolton Barrie.

Lingfield:

1.40 Tropical Storm, 2.10 Jack Sullivan, 2.45 JR Stevenson, 3.20 Zarzu, 3.55 Oro Verde, 4.30 Bold Ewar, 5.05 Duescals, 5.35 Turner.

Tomorrow's other meeting is at Uttoxeter.

Updated: 13:02 Tuesday, October 14, 2003