HEREFORD Racecourse will host Britain's opening evening racing fixture of 2007 tomorrow (Friday).

We stepped into the breach at short notice after the scheduled venue - Taunton Racecourse - was forced to cancel because the ground in Somerset was too hard for racing following the recent hot dry spell.

We've been putting on plenty of water to ensure as good racing conditions as possible.

There are six races between 5.30pm and 8pm - all sponsored by racecourse TV provider SIS - with the feature event being the £10,000 novices' handicap hurdle over two and a half miles.

There's also a hunters' chase for which the entries include Foly Pleasant from Karen Waldron's training yard across the Worcestershire border at Stoke Bliss.

Bromsash's Michael Scudamore and Kevin Morgan, of Little Marcle, entered quite a number of horses, with the latter possibly having his first runners at the racecourse since moving from the East Midlands.

I hope that some readers followed my each-way tip for the Grand National, Silver Birch, who won at 33-1.

I tipped the horse 12 months ago as well when he fell.

But he had winning form over Aintree's spruce fences, and returned to his very best to score deservedly.

My other tip - Simon (20-1) - ran a good race, and jumped well until falling at Valentine's Brook on the second circuit.

The two Herefordshire horses - from Venetia Williams' yard at Kings Caple - ran with merit. The long outsider Sonevafushi (150-1) was pulled up two fences from home, while the early leader The Outlier (125-1) stayed prominent until unseating his rider at the 19th fence.

After some huge gambles on the day of the National have been landed in recent years, it was good to see the race going back to being such an open contest. The bookmakers weren't complaining because they made a fortune!

A few minutes after the Grand National, Herefordshire's newest trainer Kevin Prendergast sent out his second winner since setting up at Sellack when Joris De Vonnas won a three-mile chase at Chepstow Racecourse.

*The next racing at Hereford Racecourse is tomorrow - Friday - when the first race is scheduled for 5.30pm. Gates open from 3.30pm. Admission into the Grandstand Enclosure is £16. Accompanied children under 16 enter free of charge. More information can be found on web site www.hereford-racecourse.co.uk or by telephoning the racecourse on 01432 273560.