EMMA Lavelle does not allow her mind to wander far about expectation. Racing's ups are readily followed by downs to put the summit of ambition that is Cheltenham glory tantalisingly out of reach.

Witness last year when both the Andover trainer's leading aspirations were frustratingly declared non-runners well in advance of the glorious uncertainty that makes up the Festival.

Perhaps Cloudy Grey's absence was the more frustrating. True, Tana River was forced into temporary exile for the whole campaign but Cloudy Grey had spectacularly demonstrated his prowess in spreadeagling a useful field at Ascot in his only start in December.

Then came a devastating injury to his off hind for which three screws have been inserted and Cheltenham calculations amounted to no more than talk. However action of late has been speaking louder than words by clearly showing he has lost nothing of his ability.

"He did a super bit of work this morning,'' Lavelle reported in a tour of her burgeoning stable near Andover.

Cloudy Grey does take plenty of work to get fit and the added problem is where to run him. Like so many useful hurdlers, he will be handicapped by the controversial new novice chasing programme with its restricted opportunities.

Though he won convincingly at Ascot and Hereford, Lavelle considers the seven-year-old is better going left handed than right. He won a useful bumper at Haydock and beat all but the enigmatic Cornish Rebel in a valuable renewal at Newbury.

"He was never off the bridle at Ascot but I don't know why he is as quick as he is because he's bred to get three and a half miles,'' she said. "I'll start him off over two and a half and if that proves his best trip, then I'll go with it. Otherwise I'll run him over further.''

Tana River, who gave the yard their most prestigious success in the EBF Novices Hurdle final at Sandown in the 2002/3 season, is another who will be immediately pitched into novice chasing.

With a lofty rating of 129, he could have been brought back last season after recovering from a tendon injury but Lavelle wasn't tempted and gave him an extended summer holiday.

"Hopefully I'll be able to run him in about three weeks. But It won't be on ground anything quicker than good to soft. He has a round action, so I won't risk him, but it doesn't have to be bottomless like that day at Sandown,'' she said.

The meeting harvested a double success when Immola was about the only horse still able to raise a gallop in the penultimate hurdle.

"He has been running far too free and hanging in his races but I think he should take more racing this year and I would like to send him novice chasing. He certainly has the ability,'' she said.

On proven form, there is little doubt who commands most respect in the yard - Self Defense but when the star performer will return to his box, she does not know. The horse was transferred to Paul Chamings stable for the flat season. However the Champion Hurdle will again be the objective, with a conditions race as his prep.

Lavelle was delighted with The Bandit's seasonal re-appearance at Cheltenham on Wednesday where he looked threatening until lack of condition caught him out between the last two fences and he tired to finish fourth.

Two for the notebook are the six-year-old Lightnin' Jack who was jarred up in his only run last year and will probably turn out for a novice hurdle at Folkestone tomorrow and the mare Marjina, three times a bridesmaid last term. "It's not that she's ungenuine but lacks that extra gear but she's a five-year-old who's only just growing into herself and needs a galloping track."

As a dark horse, Lavelle picks out Baybridge, a slow maturing five-year-old who sparkled in a racecourse gallop at Newbury last week. He will run at Sandown in the concluding bumper on Saturday before going novice hurling. "I think he could make up into a really nice horse.''