HAYDOCK Park stages its first meeting of 2005 on Saturday, January 8 when several Grand National hopefuls are expected to be on show in the seven-race card.

Feature race is the £13,500 888.com Poker Handicap Chase over two-and-a-half miles.

Among the likely contenders for this are expected to be Ginger McCain's Grand National prospect, Ebony Light; Luzcadou, a faller in the Aintree marathon last year; Venetia Williams' Banker Count; Len Lungo's Skippers Cleuch; and Catch The Perk from the in-form stable of Lucinda Russell.

Racing gets under way at 12.45pm and accompanied children under 16 enter free, while senior citizens and students, with appropriate identification, enter Tattersalls and the Newton Enclosure at half-price.

More details about racing at Haydock are available on web site www.haydock-park.co.uk