It is STRONG PROMISE (nap 2.15), however, who can prevail today.Geoff Hubbard's runner showed himself to be one of the best hurdlers in Britain when a neck runner-up to Urubande in the Aintree Hurdle in April, but his magnificent physique had always held the prospect of better to come over fences. The same may be true of Nahthen Lad, while Couldnt Be Better's name is an increasing embarrassment and Barton Bank is always likely to make a desperate mistake at a vital stage.Two options remain. "It's fast and it's not ideal but it is raceable and there is no jar."Rough Quest is no longer a fair price at 7-2, since three miles on a flat track with fast going is unlikely to be a sufficient test. Mr Mulligan's participation was confirmed after he passed a fitness test while Rough Quest's trainer, Terry Casey, decided the ground was suitable for this year's Grand National winner.Casey travelled from his base at Dorking, Surrey on Christmas Eve to check that the going would not be too fast for the 10-year-old "At the moment we are running," he said.

Fears that the race would be without two of its stars were eased when Rough Quest and Mr Mulligan were both given the go ahead to run on Christmas Eve. In the final analysis, there is precious little rock-solid top-class form here on which to start risking the sort of sums necessary to make a bet worthwhile.With eight runners declared, an each-way bet is a far more appealing alternative. The answer must be that he is not.One Man's last three runs include two wins, but how much he has achieved in beating either Barton Bank or Monsieur Le Cure must be open to doubt. Yet at current odds of around 8-13 (he may well drift on- course), it is vital to ask whether he is really as far ahead of his rivals on the form book as that quote implies.

With six days left to the New Year, however, it is time to practice a truly worthwhile resolution, which is to avoid odds-on favourites at all costs.This is not to say that Gordon Richards's chaser does not have a very good chance of becoming the first horse to win the King George twice in the same year, the weather having delayed last season's victory until early January. Today's six-race card at the Sunbury track, with the King George VI Chase as its centrepiece, may not have attracted as many runners as usual because of the forecast good going, but it is no less demanding, and while every race holds its own fascination, care is required if punters are to emerge unscathed. There will be those, for instance, for whom One Man, favourite for the King George VI Chase, will represent an adult version of Santa Claus, to be relied upon utterly to foot the bill for the annual debauch. It is probably just as well that bookmakers have yet to hit upon the idea of introducing gift tokens at Christmas. Goss has the only 50-foot boat in the race, all the rest are 60 feet, but as gear damage has taken its toll and reduced the fleet from 14 to 10 so he is able to hope for a top six place at the finish early in February at Les Sables d'Olonne.All 14 BT Challenge yachts are still in the west with Mike Golding (Group 4) expected to complete the second, 6,600-mile leg from Rio de Janeiro to Wellington on Sunday. Forty miles astern is Andy Hindley (Save the Children) and a further 100 miles behind is Simon Walker (Toshiba) Conditions are becoming warmer as the fleet moves north. He is also about 10 days ahead of the record schedule of 109 days set by Titouan Lamazou in 1989/90.Britain's Pete Goss has moved into seventh place as Yves Parlier has arrived in Freemantle, Australia to replace a smashed rudder and so disqualify himself for receiving outside assistance.