David set for double on Lingfield return; RACING.

LINGFIELD takes centre stage tomorrow as racing finally resumes.

A seven-day break in the action due to the foot in mouth outbreak comes to an end as a resumption is not reckoned to pose any major risk of spreading the disease.

And Lingfield's Equitrack circuit hosts the first meeting back, with theoriginally scheduled venues at Bangor and Catterick both unsuitably close to the rural community.

One horse who could well take advantage is Spinetail Rufous.

He comfortably won a maiden here last month then showed a fine turn of foot to follow up in a handicap, catching the speedy Justalord close home.

Spinetail Rufuos has been given three weeks to recover from those latter exertions and should be in shape to score again tomorrow.

Trainer David Arbuthnot could complete a double with lowly-weighted Mahlstick in the Get Fit At Lingfield Leisure Club Handicap.

His three-year-old has hinted at ability on more than one occasion and is likely to be suited by this seven-furlong trip.

Track specialist Gary Moore should be on the mark with Fusul in the Price Regency Spring Textile Show Claiming Stakes.

His gelding contributed three victories to the tally last year alone, and he got back to winning ways last time out when he romped home six lengths clear in a claimer here.

Companion can land an overdue first win. She has made the frame on four of her six career starts to date, showing fair form in the process.

The three-year-old ran as well as ever when second in a claimer a fortnight ago and looks poised to go one place better this time.

THE big three bookmakers are to refund ante-post bets on next week's Cheltenham Festival.

William Hill, Ladbrokes and Coral have all decided to scrap normal ante- post rules because of the absence of Irish and French trained horses due to the foot and mouth crisis.

William Hill spokesman Graham Sharpe said: "William Hill will refund stakes to punters who have placed ante-post bets on horses withdrawn from races at the Cheltenham Festival at the five-day declaration stage, irrespective of the reason."

Mike Dillon, Ladbrokes director of media relations, said: "Due to the unusual circumstances surrounding the absence of the Irish and French trained horses at the Cheltenham Festival next week, Ladbrokes has decided that normal ante-post betting rules shouldn't apply and to treat all Irish & French trained horses as non-runners, returning stakes on those horses."

Channel 4 Racing's betting pundit John McCririck was delighted to hear the news.

He said: "In the most crucial week for bookmakers since betting shops opened 40 years ago they have landed an odds-on winner with punters. The fundamental principle of ante-post betting remains. Wagers are settled all in, run or not.

"But this ex-gratia gesture which, if adopted by all firms could cost theindustry around pounds 2million, is magnificent."

THE National Trainers Federation have branded Arena Leisure's decision not to honour verbal offers made to owners, trainers and jockeys as a result of the late abandonment of the meeting at Lingfield on December 30 as "a disgrace and an insult".

Arena has decided instead to make a pounds 10,000 donation to the Injured Jockeys' Fund after deciding against making compensation pay outs.

But in a statement, the NTF said: "Since the late abandonment of the meeting at Lingfield on December 30, the NTF has conducted negotiations for compensation.

"We have consistently been led to believe by the Arena representative that an ex-gratia payment would be made to owners, trainers and jockeys. Offers of settlement were made verbally.

"Without wishing to deny the worthiness of the Injured Jockeys Fund, the offer of a pounds 10,000 payment to the IJF bears no relevance to the expenses incurred by the owners, trainers and jockeys on the day.

"Legal avenues will now be pursued to establish the rights of participants in their relationship with racecourses."

CAPTION(S):

SAFETY FIRST: Courses which stage race meetings during the current foot and mouth outbreak will receive help from the Horserace Betting Levy Board. The board is to contribute towards the additional disinfecting costs incurred by the tracks. Up to pounds 1,000 per racecourse will be made available towards the costs ofdisinfecting equipment and also a grant of pounds 500 per fixture staged towards the cost of operating the disinfecting equipment on race days.