Racing: Tarlac a strong fancy for top Ascot prize

Mephisto tops the list of 26 horses still entered for Saturday's Ladbroke Handicap Hurdle at Ascot. Howard Johnson's seven-year-old is set to carry top weight of 11st 11lb on what will be only his second start since winning at Ayr in April 2005.

Next in the weights are the Nicky Richards-trained Premier Dane and Michael Halford's Tipperary All Star.

The latter created a huge impression when beating a 20-strong field under a big weight at Cheltenham last month.

But the sponsors quote him at 6-1 second-favourite behind the Nicky Henderson-trained Tarlac, on offer at 4-1. Next in the betting is recent Sandown scorer Overstrand at 8-1.

Chris McGrath

Nap: Sobers (Folkestone 12.40)

NB: Snakebite (Folkestone 1.10)