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Elite Racing Club fans in the area will no doubt be delighted with the news that Beckhampton trainer Roger Charlton is to train for the first time for the club.

The Derby winning trainer is to be sent two of the five two year olds being put into training by the 15,000 member club.

The club expects to have 15 horses in training on the Flat this year, spread between trainers James Fanshawe, Julie Camacho, Paul Cole, James Given and Nigel Tinkler.

Elite Racing boss Matthew Budden said he was delighted that Charlton has joined the list of Elite trainers.

He will take charge of a Selkirk colt out of the clubs Listed winning mare Ffestiniog, who has been given an entry in the 2009 Derby.

Charlton is also being sent a High Chaparral filly purchased at Tattersall's October Yearling Sales for 60,000 guineas.

Broad Hinton trainer Andy Turnell, who shut down his yard for a couple of weeks recently due to a virus, has started running his horses again and stable star Blue Bajan proved all was well at the yard again by winning a novice hurdle at Doncaster last Friday.

Chances are the talented flat performer could go for the Totesport Hurdle at Newbury on February 9 where he would be well in at the weights or wait for the Festival where he has entries in the Supreme Novices and the Champion Hurdle.

The trainer was reported as saying "we will have a chat where we go from here, we have a few options."

He won't run on very soft ground though, jockey Graham Lee was very pleased with him and said he would be better for the run.

The well being of the yard was shown by Outlandish the following day with a win on the all weather at Lingfield.

Looking ahead to this weekend's action there will be plenty of interest shown in the feature race of the day at Sandown on Saturday when Champion Hurdle contenders Straw Bear and Afsoun lock horns in the Tote Scoop Six Contenders Hurdle, formerly known as the Agfa Hurdle.

With Straw Bears regular pilot Tony McCoy sidelined, trainer Nick Gifford is hoping Timmy Murphy will be available for the ride adding the horse is in terrific form and hopefully he would go very close.

The Scilly Isles Novices Chase is another feature on the card with several runners in with a shout.

The Paul Nicholls trained Silverburn, Tidal Bay, The Market Man and Hobbs Hill would all appear to have good chances but perhaps the Gary Moore trained Verasi could well be worth an each way bet.

Highlight of the Doncaster card is the William Hill Handicap Chase that could see the locally trained Howle Hill be another high profile winner for Alan King's Barbary Castle yard with perhaps a small interest on the Charlie Mann trained Moon Over Miami.

Wetherby stages a seven race card with the feature race being the Grade Two Towton Novices Chase.

A small field is likely to go to post for the contest and a tentative selection is for the West Country trained Here's Johnny.

All weather racing fans are catered for with a meeting at Lingfield followed by night racing at Kempton beginning at 6.20pm.

The first race on the card at Lingfield is an Apprentice Handicap that could go Imperium, trained by Jean Rene Auvray at Lambourn and ridden by Kylie Manser.

Joint Champion jockey Jamie Spencer makes a rare appearance on the all weather and could complete a double for trainer Mark Johnston on Silent Master and Denbera Dancer.

Other likely winners could be the Paul Cole trained Maltese Falcon and Millville, trained by Michael Jarvis and ridden by Steve Drowne.

A couple to keep an eye on at Kempton could be the Andy Turnell trained Interactive and Hold That Call the mount of Dane O'Neill for Wiltshire trainer Richard Hannon.

9:43am Thursday 31st January 2008

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