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With all this rain around, hedge your bets at Lingfield

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Graham Cunningham is hoping that his predictions will beat the weather on what could be a very wet weekend... But he knows one will

Magic may have to dig deep if Ascot beats the weather:

There is something deeply frustrating about entering into a venture which you suspect could prove completely pointless.

Yours truly has a sinking feeling about the chances of racing at Ascot and Haydock this weekend but, in the hope for a late break in the weather, it's time to turn the spotlight on Twist Magic in the Victor Chandler Chase.

The Champion Chase favourite is trading at [1.75] to confirm the rich promise of his Tingle Creek win and, on figures, you need a damn good reason to oppose him.

Is it possible to find one? Well, Paul Nicholls has often said that deep mud is less than ideal for Twist Magic and, although conditions were on the soft side at Sandown, it could be that Ascot asks a more demanding question altogether.

We could be whistling in the wind, but if the meeting does go ahead it might just pay to have a crack at the favourite with a dutching bet on Mansony and Tamarinbleu.

Mansony is the one horse in the two mile chasing division who could still be a fair bit better than he has shown thus far. Granted, he failed to fire on his sole previous British raid, but he impressed with the way he settled a Grade 1 contest at Leopardstown over Christmas and heavy ground poses him no problems.

Tamarinbleu didn't get the credit he deserved for making every yard off a mark of 150 in the Boylesports Gold Cup at Cheltenham last month. Two miles poses him a different question, but versatility is one of his strong points and it comes as a pleasant surprise to see him trading at 16 and upwards.

Keep it simple with Simon if Haydock survives the storms:

Talk about mixed messages. This piece is being scribbled just ten miles from Haydock Park at the end of one of the wettest weeks on record and, every time I glance out of the window, the rain seems to be coming down harder.

Yet a glance back at the laptop shows that Haydock's much maligned clerk of the course Kirkland Tellwright feels his course is raceable and that hopes remain high for the green light after Saturday morning's inspection.

Hats off to the groundstaff if they manage to save a card with over £200,000 in prize money on offer, and David Pipe will be hoping for the best given that he saddles two of the key horses in the featured Peter Marsh Chase at 14.00.

Our Vic and Madison du Berlais are the pair in question and shame on any cynic who suggests the former might be a late withdrawal in order to aid the cause of the latter.

Either way, this will be a real slog. Opera Mundi is bound to be popular given that the race he won here on Betfair Chase day has worked out a treat, but Simon looks the best bet under the conditions.

John Spearing's hardy gelding thrived last season and has had this race on his dance card ever since his strong-finishing second behind Over The Creek in a hot handicap at Cheltenham in December. He jumps soundly and relishes deep ground, so everything looks in place for a bold bid under his regular rider Andrew Thornton.

Qadar the one to take on in Lingfield feature:

The old Stephen Stills song dictates that "if you can't be with the one you love then love the one you're with."

With that in mind it makes sense to turn to Lingfield's Saturday Polytrack fixture, where Qadar looks lay material in the featured sprint handicap at 15.00.

Nick Littmoden's gelding swooped late to win this race last year and has almost certainly been trained with a repeat in mind. Add in the fact that he can race from a mark 6lb lower than twelve months ago and he looks bound to attract support, but Qadar has been beaten on 16 consecutive runs since that last win.

He's a tricky ride who needs producing at just the right moment and, with Bonus, Maltese Falcon, Ebraam and several others boasting solid recent form, the time looks right to take Qadar on in the win market and possibly the place market, too.

Denis wishing he could turn back the hands of time after Fakey faux pas:

Anyone old enough to remember the Average White Band will testify that their biggest hit was a catchy soul number called Let's Go Round Again.

The Fakenham stewards could have been forgiven for advising Denis O'Regan to download the 1980 hit onto his iPod after the Irishman became the latest jockey to ride a finish a circuit too early aboard Harringay on Monday, but what can be done to minimise the risk of such embarrassments in future?

It's clear that human error can never be completely eliminated, but the risk to punters must be minimised and a simple length of tape to cordon off the run-in would have done the trick in this case.

Meanwhile, O'Regan must now sit out a thoroughly deserved 14-day ban which will cost him thousands in potential earnings and a string of good mounts including the exciting Inglis Drever and Tidal Bay at Cheltenham on January 26.

It might be of some consolation to O'Regan to hear that the AWB also scored a big hit with Pick Up The Pieces. Or then again, it might not.

Cunningham's wet weekend wagers:

14.00 Haydock: Back Simon
13.45 Ascot: Dutch Mansony and Tamarinbleu
15.00 Lingfield: Lay Qadar