The richest prize at Ascot today is the £20,000-added Daily Telegraph Novices' Chase. And this tricky handicap over an extended two miles three furlongs can go to the Howard Johnson-trained Tom Brodie, who appears leniently treated on some of his best hurdles form. The eight-year-old has taken a while to get to grips with fences, getting beaten at prohibitive prices on a couple of occasions at the start of the term. But his last two performances when ridden closer to the pace have seen an improvement in Tom Brodie's form. He should be able to handle this step up in class, provided similar tactics are employed and can initiate a double for Carberry.

Desert Mountain looks weighted to regain the winning thread in the Trillium Handicap Hurdle. Following an impressive win at Wetherby on his reappearance in October further successes looked assured but things have not gone according to plan for Neville Callaghan's five-year-old.

Three disappointing efforts followed and the five-year-old appeared to have lost interest in the game. However, at Wetherby in early February Desert Mountain showed a glimmer of hope when a seven-length second to Effectual.

Effectual - a winner twice since - reopposes on 16l worse terms today and will be hard pressed to contain Desert Mountain this time.

Desert Mountain has since run better still when blinkered for the first time in the County Hurdle at Cheltenham. He kept on well from two out to finish fifth, beaten under seven lengths behind Blowing Wind with another of today's rivals L'Opera a further six lengths back in seventh.

And the last named is only 1lb better off now, so the handicap clearly points to Desert Mountain, who wears blinkers again and can benefit from a patient ride by Paul Carberry to land the nap.

The World Racing Series Championship is set to become a reality next year, with "funding and television rights the next items on the agenda", according to the chief executive of the United Arab Emirates Racing Association, Michael Osborne.Osborne has confirmed that a legal joint agreement has been signed by the eight participating countries, which means that "the show is definitely on the road". The octet are Ireland, Britain, the US, the United Arab Emirates, France, Canada, Hong Kong and Japan.