Little Ridge and Noul, successful on the same day at Southwell last month, return to the Nottinghamshire course tomorrow with excellent prospects of providing an encore.
Nap selection Little Ridge, trained at Lambourn by Hughie Morrison, goes for the £10,000 Play Gameon & Win Cash On ITV Handicap over five furlongs.
He ran in a similar race on his latest start, finishing a decisive winner from Majik and Saviours Spirit.
Little Ridge seems very much at home on Southwell's fibresand surface and smart apprentice Luke Fletcher is once more in the saddle.
Noul does not quite perform at the same level as Little Ridge, but Kevin Ryan's gelding is capable of holding his own in modest company, as he showed at Southwell a month ago when beating Massey in a seven-furlongs selling race.
The six-year-old turns out again tomorrow in similar class, but over a furlong longer trip, which should suit him even better.
Siraj, who went down by only a neck on his latest start, can go one better in the Interactive Jackpot Press Red On ITV Handicap.
It was only in the dying strides last time that Julian Poulton's charge was headed by Crusoe, who beat him by a neck. Over the same distance of six furlongs tomorrow, compensation is on the cards.
Over the jumps at Sandown, Mercato should go well in the Royal Artillery Gold Cup, a race for amateur riders.
The nine-year-old, trained by John Best, should have benefited greatly from his recent comeback outing on this course last month when he finished a creditable fith in the competitive Agfa Diamond Handicap Chase. He has less on his plate here.
The Royal British Legion Alanbrooke Memorial Handicap Chase looks a suitable target for Direct Access, who makes the journey from Nicky Richards' powerful Cumbrian yard.
A winner at Newcastle in December, on his first outing for Richards, the ten-year-old should continue to pay his way in run-of-the-mill company.
Thursday's tips:
Southwell
1.45 Knight of Hearts, 2.15 Labelled With Love, 2.50 Dream Magic, 3.25 Set Alight, 3.55 Noul, 4.30 Little Ridge (Nap).
Sandown
2.00 Innocent Rebel, 2.35 Direct Access, 3.15 Mercato, 3.45 Lord Buckingham, 4.20 Sikander A Azam, 4.50 Cool Monty.
Tomorrow's other meeting is at Taunton.
Updated: 09:40 Wednesday, February 16, 2005
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