SEEKIN CASH, the victim of wretched luck since winning over course and distance in February, can enjoy a change of fortune to lift the Grade Two Letheby & Christopher Long Distance Hurdle at Ascot today.

Kim Bailey's lightly-raced seven-year-old looked to have the stayers' crown at his mercy when winning the Shenley Enterprises Limited Handicap Hurdle here on St Valentine's Day, but since that time things have gone badly wrong.

Lining up a 10 to 1 chance for the race, Seekin Cash held a prominent pitch throughout went to the front with three flights remaining and soon had the race in the bag. Sauntering clear of his rivals - still with a firm grip of his bridle - once in line for home, the bay came home 12 lengths in advance of Gillan Cove without ever having been extended.

On the strength of that run he started the 5 to 6 favourite for the Rendlesham Hurdle at Kempton but suffered an overreach - probably when clouting the second last - in finishing 13 lengths third to 100 to 1 shot See Enough.

His attempts to atone for that defeat in the Stayers' Hurdle at Cheltenham came to nought, though once again he could claim the fates had conspired against him. He was kicked by one of his rivals at the start and although he was allowed to take his chance, could do no more after a mistake at the fifth from home, eventually finishing a remote ninth to Cyborgo.

A month has passed since the National Hunt Festival, so Seekin Cash has had plenty of time to get over whatever ailed him at Cheltenham, and he is given a final chance to reproduce the form he showed the last time he came to Berkshire.

Morceli, himself a disappointment at the Cheltenham Festival, can also stage a recovery mission in the Peregrine Handicap Chase Howard Johnson's grey shrugged aside his sole opponent Mugoni Beach at Haydock at the end of February but proved too bold at his fences in the Cathcart Challenge Cup.

Bad mistakes at the fifth and the 11th obstacles knocked the stuffing out of him and he finished last of seven finishers to "Challenger du Luc. That was a disappointing performance but Ascot's park course should pose him fewer problems, and he can regain the winning thread.

Amateur jockey Kenny Whelan has suffered a broken jaw and will miss the ride on the Ferdy Murphy-trained bumper horse French Holly at the Punchestown Festival. Whelan - who partnered Murphy's Stop The Waller to victory in the Kim Muir Challenge Cup at Cheltenham - also broke his collarbone in a fall at a Cork point-to-point meeting last Wednesday.