Don't forget your wellies at Haydock today. Though the meeting has never been in danger of being cancelled, conditions are sure to be testing after prolonged recent rain.

The three-mile New Year Handicap Chase will be a gruelling test for those near the top of the weights, particularly as Haydock is such a galloping course with a stamina-sapping run-in.

So Callfourseasons makes plenty of appeal with just 10st 9lb to carry. He'll have no difficulty handling underfoot conditions, having scored in even more desperate ground at Bangor last season.

The very stiff Haydock fences hold no terrors as the nine-year-old won here as a novice and has never fallen in a 14-race career over jumps. And Callfourseasons comes into this race in excellent heart after romping to a 21-length victory in the mud at Southwell last time out.

Half an hour later the progressive Hors La Loi can make light of 10st 3lb in the Willows Handicap Hurdle. Not to be confused with the Champion Hurdle runner-up of the same name, the five-year-old is developing into a useful performer in his own right.

He ploughed through the mud to land conditional jockeys' events at Doncaster and Taunton last month.

At Uttoxeter, Young Spartacus will benefit from a return to two and a half miles in the stanleybet.co.uk Handicap Chase. He won the Tote Silver Trophy Hurdle over this trip at Chepstow in November.

Best bet at Lingfield may be City Player in the six-furlong Trackside Carvery Classified Stakes.