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THE mixed weather forecast will obviously play a part in the racing action this weekend with the meetings at Haydock Park and Chester more vulnerable to going changes than Stratford or Lingfield Park; York looks safe from any more rain as well.

Let’s start at the Knavesmire where there are several big field handicaps to get our teeth stuck into, none more so than the Reg Bond “Always and Forever” Handicap over seven furlongs at 3.50.

Cairdeas was my number one when I looked before the 48-hour decs, but his chance has been severely compromised by his box 15 draw. It doesn’t mean that the William Haggas’ charge can’t win, it just means the percentages against him are not in his favour and in the end I have fallen down on the side of JAMAICAN STORM.

This lightly raced son of Havana Grey was placed on two of his last three starts as a juvenile and for his three-year-old debut he pulled his race away through the first two furlongs at Newcastle and to my eyes he did well to finish within three lengths of Florida Dawn at the end of the stiff seven furlongs.

Set to make his handicap debut off a mark of just 75 and with a lovely pitch in stall four, if he manages to settle early on then I suspect we will see a massive step forward as indeed he must take to be involved. Of his rivals, I think that the likes of Singoura and the John Butler trained Kameel will also be in the thick of the action at the sharp end of this class four event.

JM Jungle will try and defy top weight (rating of 96) in the five-furlong handicap at 2.40.

Two runner-up spots behind the smart American Affair make him the likely favourite here and the fact that he has surprisingly gone up only a pound is another positive. However, the John and Sean Quinn-trained runner has been found in the marketplace and a much better value each-way play could well be the very lightly raced three-year-old LOOM up against more experienced but also thoroughly exposed rivals.

I loved the way that this youngster came home in a class three handicap among his own age group earlier in the month and he could be well treated here on only his sixth career start off a rating of 93.

The class four event over seven furlongs at 5.00 looks a tough betting heat. Mums Tipple has been given a real chance by the assessor having tumbled down the weights in the past 12 months from a mark of 102 to 80 and there were clear signs over the course and distance last time out that the old boy was set to strike when third behind Delicacy.

I may well have a saver on the veteran eight-year-old, but my main play will be on the locally trained QUEST FOR FUN, back in fourth in that same race. The weight turnaround isn’t that much to make an argument on that front, but more the run that the selection had from stall 15, continually denied a run, but once his charge had gone David Allen wasn’t overly hard on the seven-year-old. He is now some 8lbs below his last winning mark and granted luck in the run from his draw in eight, I suspect he will be a very solid each-way play.

At Haydock Park, there is likely to be at least some give in the ground and that should suit CHILLINGHAM (1.13) perfectly. Third in class two events twice last year from 96 and 97, he has looked a shade lazy this term when down the field in the Queen’s Cup at Musselburgh on his opening start. That rub has made Ed Bethell turn to a visor and 92 seems a very fair rating. The long straight at the Merseyside track should give him plenty of time to wind up and he gets a marginal vote over Stressfree and light weight Lieber Power from the Andrew Balding yard.

SERGEANT WILKO (1.48) with first-time cheek pieces on could go close to defying top weight in the six-furlong handicap, while VOLTERRA (3.33) looks way overpriced at a double-figure offering in the John of Gaunt Stakes. He produced a career best effort and by some way in the Challenge Cup Heritage Handicap at Ascot in October.

There is also a cracking card at Chester, which hasn’t received as much rain as Haydock Park. WITCH HUNTER (2.10) wasn’t at all disgraced in the Victoria Cup at Ascot last time out, beaten four-and-three-quarter lengths into seventh. I think a mark of 105 is well within reach here and the main problem is the six-year-old getting a run through the pack in the closing stages.

Fit from the flat, LAGOON NEBULA (3.20) should go well at a good price in the two-mile handicap, while PER CONTRA (3.55) could well be the best value call on the card at the Cheshire track.

The Tim Easterby-trained runner remains open to plenty of improvement following just the eight runs on turf. Two runs this season have seen him race prominently but seemingly not get home.

However, he has been dropped from 88 to 84 for those two outings and if Sean Kirrane can hold onto the son of Footstepsinthesand for a little longer, I am confident that we will see a big step forward in a race which is well within his winning range.

Finally, later on I must admit to a strong fancy for the very lightly raced top weight BLUE WONDER (Lingfield, 7.40). The Hughie Morrison trained youngster looks sure to get somewhere near a fix on the “golden highway” on the stands’ side rail and if garnering anything like a clear run, he has a solid chance of seeing off his elders. Add to the view that Finley Marsh is riding out of his skin and we have a very interesting wager here.