Take a local trainer who has not saddled a winner for several years and a horse who has yet to get off the mark in 22 outings, and you might think that a leap of extreme faith is required to fancy the pair coming good together.

Step forward Gerry Kelly from Sheriff Hutton, and High Window, who just might reward that faith at Wolverhampton this afternoon.

A one-time jockey and long-time trainer with the merest handful of horses at his disposal, Kelly, who lives close to Mick Easterby's powerful yard, rarely gets even a sniff of a winner. But in High Window he is fancied to find opportunity knocking at its loudest in the wolverhampton-racecourse.co.uk Apprentice Classified Stakes.

Despite his uninspiring career record, High Window ran a blinder in an amateur riders' race at Southwell last week when, belying his 33-1 odds, he finished a staying on second to Savile's Delight over five furlongs.

Tomorrow's extra furlong will be in the favour of High Window, who will have the assistance of Easterby's experienced apprentice Nicky Lawes.

Fingers are very firmly crossed that Gerry Kelly can finally get on the scoresheet for the first time since... way back when.

Cantique, another horse with a similarly poor win ratio to High Window - no victories from 24 starts - likewise makes some appeal on a card which could provide some fairytale triumphs.

A respectable third on this course last time out, the Richard Price trained filly has good prospects of breaking her duck in the Book Tickets Online Classified Stakes. She certainly will not lack for assistance from the saddle with joint champion jockey Seb Sanders booked.

While recent Southwell winner Louisiade (2.30) looks to have solid claims of obliging again, the nap vote is awarded to Ninth House (3.30), who met trouble in running when denied a hat-trick of wins at Kempton on his latest start. Compensation is expected to come the way of Nick Littmoden's previous course scorer.

Tomorrow at Southwell, the £16,250 Get Away To Pontin's Handicap offers a sizeable prize and, consequently, a talented field has been attracted.

Pick of the bunch could well be Bonnie Prince Blue, who showed his liking for this course earlier this month when bolting home four lengths clear of Sand Cat. The handicapper has raised him 8lb for that success, but Barry Hills' charge is selected to prove equal to this task.

Faithful Ruler is napped to resume winning ways in the Book Now At pontin's.com Handicap. The four-year-old has run well in his two subsequent outings since scoring at Kempton and, although it is anyone's guess just how he will cope with this slower surface, there is every chance he will be even better suited to Fibresand than the Polytrack.

Derek Shaw, the leading all-weather trainer this winter, has excellent prospects of adding to his tally of winners, courtesy of Epidaurian King (1.00).


Racing selections

Wolverhampton (today)
2.00 Cantique, 2.30 Louisiade, 3.00 Jarvo, 3.30 Ninth House, 4.00 Grand Fleet, 4.30 High Window, 5.00 Avontuur.

Today's other meetings:
Folkestone and Kempton.

Southwell (tomorrow)
1.00 Epidaurian King, 1.30 What's For Tea, 2.00 Faithful Ruler (NAP), 2.30 Bonnie Prince Blue, 3.00 Noble Plum, 3.30 Molly Ann, 4.00 Sunshine Lady.

Tomorrow's other meetings:
Leicester and Sedgefield.