BRIAN ELLISON can make a flying start to 2015 by completing a double at Catterick today.

The Norton trainer, equally adept at turning out winners on the Flat and over jumps, saddles two potentially useful hurdlers in Definitly Red and Racing Europe, both owned by Phil Martin, who now has a large team of horses under Ellison's care at his Spring Cottage base.

Definitly Red, previously trained in Lincolnshire by Steve Gollings, will be having his first outing for Ellison in the Happy New Novices' Hurdle.

He was twice a Listed bumper winner and is clearly a very talented horse. Although beaten on his hurdles bow at Newcastle a month ago, his runner-up effort behind Native River that day came in a very muddling race which developed into a sprint from the home turn.

Definitly Red remains a horse capable of becoming a very smart horse over hurdles. It will be a shock if he is denied this afternoon.

Racing Europe contests the Racing Again On 8th January Novices' Hurdle.

A bumper winner at Bangor on his seasonal reappearance, he was no match for the smart Warrantor on his debut over hurdles at Market Rasen last month, but this step up to an extended three miles promises to see him at his best.

He will be hard to beat under Will Kennedy, who also teams up with Definitly Red

Kaysersberg, twice a winner at Wetherby before coming to grief at the final fence at Doncaster last time when running a big race, will be a popular choice in the Dine And View At Catterick Races Novices' Chase, but he may find Straidnahanna a tough nut to crack.

Sue Smith's strong-galloping gelding ran out a wide-margin winner at Newcastle last time and is open to further improvement over a distance just shy of three-and-a-quarter miles. Harry Haynes teams up with Straidnahanna, who is expected to make a bold bid.

John Quinn's Things Change (2.50) may not have been at his best at Musselburgh last time out, but is worth another chance, while Warren Greatrex, trainer of Kaysersberg, has another good chance on the Catterick card with Hand On Bach (3.25), a faller at Taunton last time but previously a useful second at Ludlow.

Greatrex will be strongly represented at Cheltenham by high-class Wetherby winner Cole Harden in the £25,000 Dornan Engineering Hurdle.

A good run is expected from Cole Harden, but, in a race which also features former Champion Hurdle winner Rock On Ruby, as well as the useful Silsol and Vaniteux, arguably the most interesting horse in the field is Beat That.

Nicky Henderson's charge won Grade 1 races at Aintree and Punchestown in the spring. His fitness today is obviously not assured after an eight-month absence, but if he's ready to do himself justice, he will be hard to deny.

Norton trainer Malcolm Jefferson has despatched King Of The Wolds and Urban Hymn to Cheltenham, but both are facing stiff tasks.

King Of The Wolds may find previous course winner Charingworth too hot to handle in the BetBright On Mobile Handicap Chase, while Urban Hymn, useful prospect though he is over fences after winning at Grade 2 level over hurdles, faces very talented rivals in the Grade 2 BetBright Novices' Chase.

The pick of them may be Ptit Zig, trained by Paul Nicholls and already a triple-winner over fences, most recently in good company at Ascot. With the dual-winner Champagne West also in the field, Urban Hymn has plenty on his plate.

Dineur may prove the answer to the £50,000 BetBright Best For Festival Betting Handicap Chase.

Peter Bowen's gelding was only denied in a photo-finish at Aintree on his latest start and figures at the foot of the weights in this Grade 3 event, which gives him plenty of appeal.

All the top stables are represented in the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle, but Neil King may hold the ace in the pack in Zeroshadesofgrey, a useful bumper horse, who has won all his three starts this season.

The small Northumberland stable of Susan Corbett is represented by Virnon in the EBF Cheltenham Pony Club National Hunt Flat Race. Once again, all the major yards have runners in this race, but Virnon, a winner at Cartmel and Newcastle, could well give Corbett a day to remember.

Selections

Catterick today
12.30 Definitly Red, 1.05 Snowed In, 1.40 Straidnahanna, 2.15 Racing Europe, 2.50 Things Change, 3.25 Hand On Bach.

Cheltenham today
12.10 Zeroshadesofgrey (NAP), 12.45 Charingworth, 1.20 Ptit Zig, 1.55 Dineur, 2.30 Southfield Vic, 3.05 Beat That, 3.40 Virnon.

Today's other meetings: Exeter, Fakenham, Musselburgh and Southwell.

Tomorrow's meetings: Ayr, Ffos Las, Southwell, Wolverhampton.