Riska King can take the major honours tonight on Beverley's fourth and final evening meeting of the summer.

The Malton gelding goes for the £10,000 MKM Building Supplies Handicap over an extended seven furlongs and is fancied to prevail in the hands of Gyles Parkin.

Trained by Richard Fahey, Riska King, a winner over this course and distance last season, has taken time to come to hand this term, but his latest efforts, when third at Hamilton and Carlisle, suggests a return to winning form is imminent.

James Hetherton's Qualitair Wings, wearing blinkers for the first time, and with Kevin Darley aboard, represents a live danger, along with other local horses, Young Mr Grace, from Tim Easterby's yard, Noel Wilson's Zanjeer, and John Wainwright's recent winner Time To Regret. But, in what promises to be a closely-fought affair, I go for Riska King.

The UBC Novice Stakes for two-year-olds brings together three previous winners taken on by five horses seeking their first successes. My vote goes to Where With All, representing the powerful Godolphin yard of Saeed Bin Suroor.

A cosy winner on his debut at Haydock, Where With All was far from disgraced in seventh place in the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot, where he may have found the very firm ground against him.

Tonight's conditions and company should suit him much better. Kerrin McEvoy, Frankie Dettori's talented Australian understudy, takes the mount.

Also worth noting this evening are the largely unexposed Habitual (8.35) from the Sir Mark Prescott yard, and Mick Easterby's Hills of Gold (9.05), whose latest placed efforts at York and Doncaster suggest he is overdue another winning turn.

Ryedale apprentice jockey Paul Mulrennan, who is enjoying a fine season, can further underline his riding prowess at Ayr tomorrow by scoring on Woodwind Down in the Sharp Minds Handicap.

Mulrennan's 5lb claim will come in handy aboard the mare, trained by Martin Todhunter, whose horses are in great form, and who placed Woodwind Down to win at Musselburgh recently.

That success was achieved on the seven-year-old's belated return to Flat racing after being successful over hurdles and fences.

Nap selection Woodwind Down can further advertise her galloping ability on the level by scoring again tomorrow.

Madame Topflight shaped respectably against a hot favourite at Musselburgh two weeks ago to suggest she can make her presence felt in the Sharp Minds Maiden Stakes. Nicky Mackay has the mount on Geraldine Rees's two-year-old.

Anthemion gained an overdue success at Hamilton on Friday night. A quick return to action in the Sharp Minds Betfair Handicap over a mile could well see Derek McGaffin's mount complete a rapid double.

Tomorrow's Tips:

Beverley tonight

6.35 Von Wessex, 7.05 Miss Eloise, 7.35 Riska King, 8.05 Where With All, 8.35 Habitual, 9.05 Hills Of Gold.

Ayr tomorrow

2.15 Madame Topflight, 2.45 Wares Homes, 3.15 Wahoo Sam 3.45 Manaar, 4.15 Woodwind Down (Nap), 4.45 Anthemion.

Tomorrow's only other race meeting is at Uttoxeter (National Hunt).

Tom O'Ryan's Nap for this afternoon's racing was: Highland Warrior (4.45 at Ayr).

Updated: 11:54 Monday, July 19, 2004