Starmount to shine at Wetherby

Starmount brings a touch of quality to the card at Wetherby on Thursday and can shine in the Bowel Cancer Screening Programme Saves Lives EBF "National Hunt" Novices' Hurdle.

Ben Pauling's six-year-old was a commanding 5-length scorer at the track in early December before immediately being pitched into Grade One company at Aintree over the Christmas period.

Although not helped by the lack of obstacles in a race marred by low sun, he ultimately came up short of the mark in that lofty assignment but has now been found a welcome opportunity back in West Yorkshire to return to winning ways for a team firing on all cylinders.

Also fancied to take centre stage at Wetherby is champion jockey Sean Bowen, who has a great book of rides to look forward to.

Nick Scholfield's thriving Bollin Thou could be the pick of his mounts in the closing Watch Racing Replays At racingtv.com Handicap Hurdle as he goes for a fourth straight win since New Year's Eve.

Bowen could also get proceedings off to a flying start for punters when partnering Olly Murphy's Taunton runner-up My Kinda Ghaiy in the Watch Racing TV Live On Sky 424 Juvenile Hurdle.

The best bet at Huntingdon could come in the concluding bumper, where Fergal O'Brien's For A Moment is backed to go one better than her debut second at Ludlow.

The horse she chased home on that occasion was stablemate Malina Road, who ironically had also been ahead of the six-year-old when they met in the Irish pointing field last spring.

However, since their most recent clash Malina Road has added Listed honours at Market Rasen to her CV, giving the Ludlow form a very strong look and suggesting For A Moment sets the standard in the Pertemps Network Mares' Maiden National Hunt Flat Race.

Earlier on the card, Pauling's Onewaywest can atone for falling at the last at Kempton last time out in the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle.

Winner of his two previous outings at Warwick and Wetherby, the seven-year-old had been headed but was battling back when he overjumped.

Annoyingly for connections he was put up 3lb, but it might not be enough to stop him.

James Tate's Night Storm has looked above average in winning the last twice and can make it three in a row in the Midnite Ain't Your Grandad's Bookie Handicap at Newcastle.

Well beaten on his only run at two at Newmarket, he has since won easily at Newcastle and Wolverhampton.

He begins life handicapping off a mark of 87 and it will be interesting to see if he is up to it.

There is also all-weather Flat action at Southwell, where Nunc Est Bibendum can continue her winning streak in the Make The Move To Midnite Handicap.

Gary and Josh Moore's five-year-old has a 5lb penalty for a recent win but looked to have plenty in hand despite rapidly going up the weights. - Press Association

SELECTIONS:

GOWRAN PARK: Race 1 - 14.40 Dunleer Crystal, Race 2 - 15.10 The Lovely Man, Race 3 - 15.45 Gerri Colombe, Race 4 - 16.20 Just For One, Race 5 - 16.55 Butch Cassidy, Race 6 - 17.30 Better Times Ahead, Race 7 - 18.05 Our Trigger.

HUNTINGDON: Race 1 - 14.28 Touquet, Race 2 - 14.58 Pertemps, Race 3 - 15.30 Annie Express, Race 4 - 16.05 Easy To Follow, Race 5 - 16.40 Nazare, Race 6 - 17.15 Onewaywest, Race 7 - 17.48 For A Moment.

NEWCASTLE: Race 1 - 17.55 Time Turner, Race 2 - 18.25 Red House, Race 3 - 19.00 Mademoiselle Belle, Race 4 - 19.30 Tribal Wisdom, Race 5 - 20.00 Giles Glory, Race 6 - 20.30 Night Storm, Race 7 - 21.00 Aisling Oscar.

SOUTHWELL: Race 1 - 15.05 Neptune Legend, Race 2 - 15.40 Sanditon, Race 3 - 16.15 Operation Gimcrack, Race 4 - 16.50 American Rose, Race 5 - 17.25 Laurens Dream, Race 6 - 18.00 Nunc Est Bibendum, Race 7 - 18.35 Alfred Spero, Race 8 - 19.10 Space Moon, Race 8 - 19.40 Initial Blue.

WETHERBY: Race 1 - 14.20 My Kinda Ghaiy, Race 2 - 14.50 STARMOUNT (NAP), Race 3 - 15.20 Pleasington, Race 4 - 15.55 Wor Lad, Race 5 - 16.30 She Is For Me Boys, Race 6 - 17.05 La Higuera, Race 7 - 17.40 Bollin Thou.