CHAMPION National Hunt trainer Martin Pipe is the man to follow at Wincanton races tomorrow.

Pipe, who has several fancied runners on the card, looks set to win the afternoon's feature race, the £35,000 Axminster Carpets Hurdle, with Copeland.

The seven-year-old has been a reformed character since being gelded last summer, winning valuable handicap hurdle races at Cheltenham and Newbury on his last two outings.

Copeland starts tomorrow's non-handicap race in top form.

Pipe can also win the main supporting race, the £25,000 Country Gentlemen's Association Jim Ford Chase, with Upgrade.

Although sometimes a reluctant hero, Upgrade is highly talented when at his best as he proved when beating Whitenzo by 13 lengths at Wincanton a fortnight ago. Tomorrow's longer distance should not be a problem for him.

Jonjo O'Neill, who suffered a massive blow yesterday when Miros, one of his leading hopes for the Cheltenham Festival, dropped dead on the gallops, can win the opening race at Wincanton, the Tote Exacta Handicap Hurdle with Lorenzino, successful in two of his four starts this season.

Moving Earth gets my Nap vote in the £10,000 Tote betXpress Showcase Handicap Chase, one of four races Channel 4 will be showing from Wincanton tomorrow.

Paul Nicholls' charge, a former point-to-pointer, had three lengths to spare over Scoring Pedigree when winning over this course and distance last month.

Channel 4 will be also be televising two races from Huntingdon, where First Love looks tempting in the £15,000 Betfair.Com Sidney Banks Memorial Novices' Hurdle.

A winner on his reappearance this season, First Love was then beaten favourite behind Hitman at Kempton. But he now steps up in distance and it should bring out the best in him.

In John Bigg Oxo Handicap Chase over three miles, I go for course and distance winner Strong Magic. Although he has had a 10-week break, Jimmy McCarthy's mount should be involved in the finish if he returns to action at anything like his best.

Tomorrow's tips:

Wincanton

1.45 Lorenzino, 2.20 Upgrade, 2.50 Copeland, 3.25 Moving Earth (Nap), 4.00 Kadarann, 4.30 Prizeman, 5.00 McSnappy.

Huntingdon

2.00 Strong Magic, 2.35 Mr Bossman, 3.10 First Love, 3.40 Jarro, 4.10 Moon Spinner, 4.40 Minella Silver, 5.10 Jenny Rocket.

Updated: 12:52 Wednesday, February 20, 2002