British Racing PreviewEssex can follow up his amazing Pierse Hurdle success with victory in the Totesport Trophy at Newbury today.

Landing these ultra-competitive hurdles on either side of the Irish Sea in the space of five weeks would be a remarkable feat, but the impeccably-bred Essex looks up to the task.

Barry Geraghty took him into the lead three flights from home at Leopardstown last month, much to the dismay of trainer Michael O'Brien.

Essex went clear of his field only to be joined at the last by Mansony, but the leader found more reserves on the run-in and won by a length. The first two pulled 12 lengths clear of Trophy rival Al Eile, who was third.

Essex's prep race had been in the Irish Cesarewitch three months earlier, which he won from another smart dual-purpose performer in Solerina.

Bred to be a Classic winner on the Flat - he is by champion sire Sadler's Wells out of 1990 Irish Oaks winner Knight's Baroness - Essex is open to plenty of improvement over hurdles.

He has had just the four runs, tasting defeat only once, when a close third to Cherub in the Champion four-year-old Hurdle at Punchestown in April.

The handicapper looks to have faced an impossible task in trying to assess Essex, who holds an entry in the Smurfit Champion Hurdle.

Strong Flow can show he has completely recovered from a serious injury, and that he is a realistic contender for the Totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup, by taking the Aon Chase.

The Paul Nicholls-trained gelding fractured his knee when winning the Feltham Novices' Chase at Kempton in December 2003 and only returned to the track last month.

Connections were highly delighted with his third place over hurdles behind Celtic Son at Warwick, and that race will have brought him on a bundle.

The Nicholls team have put plenty of work into the eight-year-old since that race and a minor setback three weeks ago does not appear to have dented confidence in Strong Flow.

Queen Mother Champion Chase hopeful Well Chief can make the most of the 4lb he receives from the Nicholls-trained Azertyuiop to win the Totepool Game Spirit Chase.

Martin Pipe's charge was only a short head behind his rival when third to Moscow Flyer in the Tingle Creek at Sandown in December at level weights.

And he looked to have improved when a winner under top weight from Thisthatandtother at Cheltenham last time.

Well Chief, winner of last year's Arkle Trophy, can go in again today to set up an eagerly-awaited rematch at the Festival with Azertyuiop and Moscow Flyer, the last two winners of the Champion Chase.

At Ayr, Strong Resolve can do his John Smith's Grand National prospects no harm by winning the Lloyds TSB Scotland Scottish Racing Handicap Chase.

Jericho III can continue his winning streak by rattling off his fifth straight victory in the Lloyds TSB Scotland Ayr Racecourse Handicap Chase.

All eyes will be on Marcel tomorrow as Pipe's rising star goes for his 10th win of the season in the Totesport Novices' Hurdle at Exeter.

Limerick Boy deserves another chance in the South-West Racing Club Novices' Chase after blotting his copybook with a fall at Towcester last time.

The seven-year-old, trained by Venetia Williams, had earlier beaten subsequent winner Dempsey at Leicester and still has time to take high rank among the junior brigade.

Today's meeting at Warwick has been abandoned because the track is waterlogged.