SOME 49 years ago when Nicky Richards’ late father Gordon was at the zenith of his training powers, he always welcomed a cold spell early in the New Year reckoning that the frost would kill off any germs that might be lurking around.

He definitely would not have been a fan of climate change and the wet and mild start to 2020 has not made life easy for trainers.

The past few weeks have coincided with a quiet spell for the Richards team, with not many runners and a marked absence of winners. Now, from a punter's point of view, the crucial art is to recognise the signs of a change in an upwards swing in a stable’s fortunes before the results make the turn patently obvious.

Such a switch in fortune now seems imminent at Greystoke. Richards has pencilled in a clutch of fancied runners at Doncaster today and tomorrow and assuming that the ground does not become impossibly demanding, a return to the winner’s circle can be anticipated.

Court Dreaming could be the first of the Greystoke raiders in the chase which opens this afternoon’s card at Town Moor. A most consistent performer over the smaller obstacles and twice a winner in that sphere last spring, Court Dreaming was given a long break after a disappointing effort at Cartmel with a view to starting his chasing career this year.

Danny MacMenamin will continue his association with Amberose in the handicap hurdle with every prospect of extending his successful partnership with the mare whom he knows so well and whom he rode to victory at Carlisle before the Christmas break.

Brian Hughes has been entrusted with the responsibility of completing today’s Doncaster raid on the classy Idama who is set to make his seasonal reappearance in the featured handicap chase.

The lightly raced Idama scored over fences at Perth last spring and has all the ability to add to that success. In the past, Idama has run well fresh and he will be suited to Doncaster’s long galloping home run.

This time last week, Hughes was poised to tackle the marathon four miles of Newcastle’s Eider Chase aboard the Greystoke-trained Glittering Love. The weather had the final word however, and the card was abandoned.

The pair now have a quick chance to gain compensation in Doncaster’s similarly demanding Grimthorpe Cup, won last season by stablemate Chidswell who has been declared at the five day stage to defend his crown.

Carlisle’s recently appointed jump racing ambassador Craig Nichol rode Chidswell to victory in the 2018 Grimthorpe but he has been unavailable to take the ride in either of Chidswell’s two latest runs at Kelso and at Doncaster.

Hughes was in the saddle on each occasion and managed to guide Chidswell into the places.

One assumes that Nichol will be reunited with Chidswell tomorrow, leaving Hughes free to partner Glittering Love. It could be another notable ‘one -two’ for Greystoke.

Almost unbelievable as it may seem, the head-to-head battle between Richard Johnson and Hughes for the title of champion jumps jockey for the current season is right back on.

Little more than a month since he was sidelined with a broken arm, reigning champion Johnson has been passed fit to resume race riding and the gap between the pair is around 20 winners - 130-111 in favour of Hughes before racing on Tuesday morning.

Assuming both riders remain fit and steer clear of suspensions, the northern challenger still holds pole position but he will have to rely on the likes of Richards, Keith Dalgleish, James Ewart and Brian Ellison to keep supplying the firepower right until Sandown at the end of April.

On Sunday, it will be off to Sedgefield, Hughes’ favourite course. Hopefully results will play his way as usual.

George Bewley and son Jonathan so nearly brought off a surprise win with their chasing newcomer Clondaw Flyer at last week’s meeting. The Appleby outsider looked beaten when headed three out but rallied bravely on the downhill run to the last and only just failed to overhaul the progressive winner.

Fellow Cumbrian trainer Barry Murtagh and his elder son Lorcan went even closer at Catterick on Tuesday with the family’s 22/1 shot Border Victor in the handicap hurdle.

Having his second run after wind surgery, Border Victor led approaching the final flight only to be caught in the shadow of the post and beaten by a head. Both local horses are winners in the pipeline.