King may have the last laugh in the Parklands at Newcastle

– Brian Ellison has his string in fine fettle and The King Of May can prove the point by taking the Parklands Golf Club Novices' Limited Handicap Chase today at Newcastle.

This five-year-old was the 20-1 outsider of seven when scoring on his debut over fences at Carlisle, but there was no fluke about it.

He travelled and jumped well all the way and won more easily than the half-length verdict over subsequent winner Esprit Du Large would suggest.

As bad weather continued to plague British racing, Cheltenham

have abandoned today’s meeting and will inspect at 3pm today to see if tomorrow’s card, featuring the BetVictor Gold Cup, can take place.

Meanwhile Mr Love can defy a 3kg penalty for a facile success at Huntingdon in the Certax Durham Handicap Hurdle.

This Dan Skelton-trained seven-year-old pulled clear of the opposition from the last two flights and crossed the line 15 lengths to the good.

The handicapper has put him up 7kg for that victory which is why he is running again quickly and Skelton has cancelled out the penalty by booking a 3kg claimer, William Marshall, and he has ridden him in the past.

The rules debut of Jeremy Pass is of note too, in the concluding Logico Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race.

This four-year-old represents champion trainer Paul Nicholls and, intriguingly, owner John Dance - better known for the exploits of his Flat string, including the hugely admirable multiple Group 1 winner Laurens.

Dance takes to the floor with this jumping recruit, at his local track, and Jeremy Pass has fine credentials for his bumper assignment - having been about to challenge a subsequent Henderson recruit when he fell at the last on his only previous racecourse appearance in an Irish point eight months ago.

Zamoyski can make his fitness count after several runs on the Flat, on his switch back to jumps in the Free Race Replays On Attheraces Handicap Hurdle at Southwell.

This nine-year-old, trained by Steve Gollings, is a dual winner over this extended 4000m and had his latest outing on the level just last week.

Anthony Honeyball turns Jepeck out again in the Free Tips Daily On attheraces.com Novices' Hurdle, just two days after his facile win at Bangor.

A longer rest will very much be in order for the majority of those who battled through the mud in North Wales on Wednesday.

Jepeck scored ease that this swift return may well prove no problem at all as Honeyball explores a lucrative new avenue with the10-year-old.–PressAssociation To