Daily Racing Multiple: Diol has good staying claims for National Trial on Sunday

• Nickleby second yesterday hitting 1.03

• A 5/1 Grand National Trial pick

• Alan Dudman plays a 16/1 Sportsbook double at Punchestown

Meade can turn around quiet spell with Ker

Back Diol Ker @ 5/1 in the 14:10 at Punchestown

Yesterday's two selections highlighted contrasting fortunes and indeed what seems like an endless run of seconds. Nickleby ran very well as runner-up considering he had to navigate widest of all around the field at Newcastle - which is far from ideal there. He was done at 1.031/33 in-running and was nailed on the line by the old rogue Tathmeen.

Gifted Gold's race I think was over in the afternoon, as from around 3/1, she had drifted to a BSP of 16.0! Quite the drift.

It's worth bearing in mind the track biases at both Newcastle and Kempton lately. Everything is winning from the front at Kempton, while it's best coming from off the pace at Newcastle these days - highlighted by last night's card.

Sunday's action continues the Grand National Trial theme and Gordon Elliott is well stocked as you'd expect as he bids to win the race for the fourth time in eight years, but I do like the claims of the top weight Diol Ker here for Noel Meade.

He finished second in the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas at a huge 40/1 and would have got there in another stride with a very strong finish.

The chaser was a most willing runner for his rider as he had a lot of ground to make up approaching the final fence, and that proved that as an unexposed runner over this sort of trip, stamina is his forte.

His run previously at Clonmel over hurdles saw him badly outpaced to back that up, and Clonmel wouldn't have been his track at all.

Diol Ker claimed the scalp of Ronald Pump last spring in the Leinster National and had the 158-rated Franco Port back in fourth, and while it's a tough ask off 149 and a 5lb higher mark than last time, he stays well and is now beginning to get to grips with fences as he's been a bit of a slow burner.

His trainer Noel Meade has slipped in terms of numbers this term with only six chase wins all campaign, but he can add to his meagre total and who knows? Maybe this horse will have a shot at Aintree?

Panther set for a sleek performance against big guns

Back Irish Panther @ 15/8 in the 16:20 at Punchestown

Eddie O'Grady's Irish Panther looks a very nice prospect and his experience could be crucial against a couple of well bred and expensive newcomers for Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott.

Ballyburn cost 80k and Qauntum Storm 165k and the former is a real old fashioned jumping type as a Flemensfirth, so I am hoping the drop down to 2m from Irish Panther's debut over 2m4f will be the biggest advantage here.

I still cannot believe he didn't win on debut at Leopardstown having watched the race again this morning. He travelled like a dream and was still coasting down the straight as Fact Or File was hard under pressure. Maybe it was his inexperience that caught him out, or the fact he was keen early, but he looked to have a lot of natural ability that day and certainly will have the pace dropping to 2m this afternoon.

He drifted slightly from 6/4 to 7/4 and I am hoping we can get 2/1 on him or even 5/2 with the presence of two newcomers.

The selection is more of a Flat bred by Lucarno and a dam who raced over middle-distances, and the form of his debut second has seen the winner go well in subsequently in Grade 2 company.