My Paris for the Thirsk Hunt Cup and Iceman for the 2,000 Guineas - that's my assessement on the main attractions locally and nationally tomorrow.

Trained at Hambleton by Kevin Ryan, who has his horses in flying form, My Paris, a prolific winner last season, has great prospects of opening his yearly account in Thirsk's £20,000 showpiece, sponsored by totesport.

The four-year-old ran a blinder at Newmarket last month when finishing a close-up fifth to Jedburgh in a hot handicap over seven furlongs and tomorrow's step up to a mile should not be a problem.

Tim Easterby's Young Mr Grace represents one of the dangers in this competitive race, but My Paris is taken to show his rivals the way home.

Down at Newmarket, Iceman gets the nap vote in the UltimatePoker.com 2,000 Guineas, the first of the season's Classics, which boasts prize money of £320,000.

Jimmy Fortune takes the mount on John Gosden's colt, just as he did on this course a fortnight ago when Iceman finished an unlucky fourth in the Craven Stakes, being beaten only narrowly after failing to see daylight until the dying strides.

That was a very unsatisfactory race, run at a dawdle before developing into a sprint, and also unlucky was third-placed Rob Roy, trained by Sir Michael Stoute. He should go well, too, tomorrow, but the 2,000 Guineas will only be his third public appearance and, while he possesses huge potential, whether he will be experienced or professional enough to beat Iceman is questionable.

Iceman, a Royal Ascot winner last season as a juvenile, ran some cracking races subsequently, particularly on fast ground, which he is likely to encounter tomorrow.

Dubawi, the red-hot Guineas favourite and the mount of Frankie Dettori, is unbeaten in three races and deserves to head the market on the strength of his win in the Group 1 National Stakes. Whether he deserves to be quite as short as he is, however, is debatable, and he comes into battle after wintering in Dubai and arriving in Britain less than a week ago. I believe him to be opposable at the odds available.

Remaining at Newmarket, Avonbridge, narrowly beaten in the VCbet Palace House Stakes 12 months ago, returns for another bid and should go well under Steve Drowne.

North Yorkshire trainer David Nicholls has his horses in fine form and it looks significant that he has engaged Dettori to partner Lafi in the Ladbrokes Heritage Handicap.

This highly-capable sprinter landed a big gamble in last season's Wokingham Handicap at Royal Ascot and is now fully recovered from the injury that caused him to miss the second half of the campaign.

Saturday's tips:

Newmarket

2.05 Unshakable; 2.35 Avonbridge; 3.15 Iceman (NAP); 3.45 Lafi; 4.20 Hills Of Arran; 4.55 St Andews; 5.30 Jalamid.

Thirsk

2.15 Bow Bridge; 2.45 Mokaraba; 3.20 Sharp Reply; 3.55 Little Jimbob; 4.30 My Paris; 5.05 Trojan Flight; 5.35 Harry's House.

Goodwood

1.55 Green Park, 2.25 Unfurled, 3.00 If Paradise, 3.35 Majestic Desert, 4.10 Cape St Vincent, 4.45 Ross Moor, 5.15 Duelling Banjos.

Uttoxeter

(Televised race) 2.20 Jair Ohmsford.

Tomorrow's other race meetings are at Hexham (evening, National Hunt) and Worcester (evening, National Hunt).

Updated: 10:34 Friday, April 29, 2005