Hopeful Lord can reap the benefit of a promising run last time in the Tote Credit Club Chase at Stratford today. Jonjo O'Neill's charge has had injury problems but looked more than capable of picking up a decent prize judged on his comeback run last month. Having his first outing since January 2000, the nine-year-old finished two-and-a-half lengths second to Paperising in a three-mile contest at Uttoxeter.

He may have been flattered to get so close to the in-form winner, who was eased down, but he finished 26 lengths clear of the third-placed Raffles Rooster.

A winner at Towcester last season, Hopeful Lord can come on for the run and looks the one for this Showcase Handicap.

Montpelier can shrug off a long absence in the Marscom Horseboxes Novices' Chase. Nicky Henderson's charge has not seen a racecourse since last October, but his trainer has few equals in getting a horse ready for a race.

Montpelier certainly showed plenty of promise on his two starts this term, winning novice handicaps at Hereford and Cheltenham. He can continue to progress and can complete a hat-trick.

Soft-ground specialist Miners Dance can take advantage to regain the winning thread in the Fort Dodge Handicap Hurdle over an extended three miles and one furlong. Tom McGovern's tough eight-year-old revels in testing conditions and mixes hurdling with chasing.

He has won three times this term, showing his best form over today's course and distance on heavy going in November when he slammed Benick by 25 lengths under an enterprising ride from Tony McCoy.

Miners Dance can be forgiven a poor effort last time over fences because, having shot up the weights, he had been given little chance by the handicapper. He races off a 17lb lower mark over hurdles and he has a great chance to make amends and land the nap.

Officials at Market Rasen will meet today to discuss prospects for Saturday's meeting at the course as the foot-and-mouth outbreak continues to play havoc with the fixture list.

The card is the sole surviving jumps meeting on Saturday and the clerk of the course is hopeful of racing taking place. However, the track will talk to the racing authorities and to the farming community in Lincolnshire before a final decision is reached.