Robert Winston, only five winners short of his maiden century, can inch closer to the target at Newcastle tomorrow.

He rides Nap selection Rio Riva in the vcbet Maiden Stakes and can steer Julie Camacho's promising colt to his first victory.

Rio Riva made a very encouraging debut under Winston at Haydock last month when finishing a good second to the favourite Dramaticus.

It was significant that the Norton juvenile had also come in for betting support beforehand. Sure to be all the better with that run, Rio Riva can go one better for Winston tomorrow.

The North Yorkshire jockey teams-up with the John Quinn sprinter Winthorpe in the vcmobile.co.uk Handicap over five furlongs.

Winthorpe is not the most predictable of animals but he has run numerous good races in defeat, not least at York on his latest start.

The four-year-old finished sixth to the in-form Playful Dane, beaten less than two lengths at the finish.

He tackles the same distance of five furlongs tomorrow and can provide Winston with another winner.

David Chapman and Tony Culhane have good prospects of landing the other sprint handicap, also sponsored by the Vc-group, with Paddywack.

The seven-year-old has been running well in the past few months and gave another solid effort when a close-up fifth to Endless Summer at Leicester recently. The soft ground tomorrow will not bother him.

Tomorrow's Tips:

Newcastle

1.55 Rio Riva (Nap), 2.30 Real Cool Cat, 3.05 Bubbling Fun, 3.40 Boppys Princess, 4.15 Rymer's Rascal, 4.50, Paddywack, 5.25 Winthorpe

Tomorrow's other meetings are at Chepstow and Nottingham.

Updated: 11:25 Tuesday, October 19, 2004