North Yorkshire trainer David Barron sends just one runner on the long haul to Lingfield in Surrey tomorrow, and if that’s not significant, his booking of former champion jockey Jamie Spencer for Colonel Mak should ring some alarm bells.

The shrewd Barron, based at Maunby near Thirsk, rarely puts Spencer on horses with little chance of winning. Moreover, he seemingly only books him for fancied runners, a fact emphasised and highlighted last year when Barron gave Spencer 13 mounts, of which six were successful at a remarkable strike-rate of 46 per cent.

Colonel Mak will be making his all-weather debut in the featured lingfieldpark.co.uk Handicap over six furlongs. But there is no doubting that, provided he copes with the Polytrack surface, he possesses the ability to make a bold bid. A five-times winner on turf, his biggest success came in the 2010 Ayr Silver Cup, a race in which he finished a close-up fourth last September when going for back-to-back wins.

Off the track since finishing unplaced in a high-class handicap at York in October, Colonel Mak makes plenty of appeal as he returns to action for a £16,000 prize. With Spencer on board, the long-distance traveller should not be underestimated as he aims to land the nap vote.

Norton jockey Barry McHugh, who rode a double at Southwell earlier in the week, can add to his 2012 tally by winning the Holtye Handicap on Claretintheblood.

Trained by Richard Fahey, the three-year-old came good on his third all-weather outing at Southwell last month. He may not need to reproduce a much stronger effort to follow up here.

Sketchy Evidence commands respect in the Play Rainbow Riches At bluesq.com Handicap.

The John Best-trained three-year-old has looked green on both his outings to date, but he managed to win the second of them, a maiden race at Kempton by a head after idling in front. He has entered his first handicap off a lenient-looking mark of 66 and is fancied to make his presence felt under leading all-weather pilot Luke Morris.

Also worth noting at Lingfield are Richard Hannon’s promising Josam (12.10) and the Peter Crate-trained Picansort (1.45), who looked an unlucky loser over five furlongs on this course last time out when he was badly hampered before finishing a highly creditable second. He can go one better under Shane Kelly.

At Bangor today, jumping fans have to settle for an all-hurdle card after the steeplechase course was deemed to be unraceable, following earlier heavy rain.

Donald McCain and Nicky Henderson are two trainers to follow.

McCain, who rarely leaves a meeting at Bangor – his most local venue – without a winner or two, can score with Absinthe (2.05), who makes his hurdling bow after being recruited from Walter Swinburn’s yard where he developed into a useful handicapper, rated in the 90s. If he transfers that ability to the jumping game, he should go well.

Henderson can score with Floreat (3.10), who shaped with promise on his hurdling debut and looks to have been found a suitably soft opportunity to chalk up a win on his second attempt.

Racing selections

Bangor (Today)

12.55 Lucky Mix, 1.30 Absinthe, 2.00 Bagsy’s Bridge, 2.35 Bathwick Brave, 3.10 Floreat, 3.40 Miss Mayfair.

Today’s other meetings

Lingfield and Wolverhampton.

Lingfield (Tomorrow)

12.10 Josam, 12.40 Ajdaad, 1.10 Claretintheblood, 1.45 Picansort, 2.15 Silver Wind, 2.45 Colonel Mak (NAP), 3.20 Titan Triumph, 3.55 Sketchy Evidence.

Tomorrow’s other meetings

Newcastle, Sandown and Wincanton.