Kevin Darley, fresh from his momentous Classic double on Attraction at the Curragh yesterday, returns to home ground tomorrow.

The Sheriff Hutton jockey will be in action at Ripon, where he has excellent prospects of landing the Galphay Classified Stakes on Nap selection Aleron.

Trained by John Quinn, the six-year-old opened his seasonal account at Newcastle a fortnight ago with a handsome victory on testing ground.

That success came hard on the heels of a useful effort at Chester, where Aleron chased home course specialist Court Of Appeal in a creditable effort.

The ground tomorrow may be slightly quicker than ideal for Aleron, but the company is right and the gelding is fancied to provide Darley with another winner.

The jockey was full of praise yesterday for Attraction, who became the first filly in history to complete the English-Irish 1,000 Guineas double.

Furthermore, the Mark Johnston-trained three-year-old is now unbeaten in seven starts, having plyed her trade early last season at such courses as Thirsk and Beverley.

The Nick Wilmot-Smith Memorial Handicap over six furlongs takes pride of place on the Ripon card, and this £15,000 event offers Johnston's Diamond a good chance of gaining a deserved triumph.

Trained by Eric Alston, Johnston's Diamond ran at Chester on his latest start and could never quite reach the leaders on that sharp five furlongs.

Tomorrow's step up to six furlongs should suit this gelding much better and Willie Supple has been booked for the mount.

Tony Culhane has a good record north of the border on Barry Hills' runners and the partnership could click with Grand But One in the Grantley Maiden Stakes.

Unraced last year, Grand But One has shown definite signs of ability in his two outings this season and went down by only a length to Madid at Newbury last time.

With Hills' horses in such cracking form, he will not be short of supporters here.

Field Spark is taken to defy a penalty in the Studley Royal Handicap over a mile and a half.

Jeremy Glover's charge got his head in front at Leicester last week and a 6lb penalty may not be enough to anchor him as he bids for a rapid double in the safe hands of Darryll Holland.

Champion jockey Kieren Fallon foregoes Ripon and Lingfield to ride at Nottingham's 'banded' meeting, which is confined to low-grade horses, running in races which do not exceed £2,200 in prize money.

While the financial rewards are small, winners are winners and Fallon could well make a useful contribution to his seasonal tally.

He is fancied to score on Laconicos (2.30), Valazar (3.00), Grand View (3.30) and Lucefer (5.00).

Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien has issued an upbeat bulletin on his Vodafone Derby favourite Yeats, who he had reported to be stiff following routine work on Friday.

"There is nothing to be worried about," O'Brien said yesterday at the Curragh. "I was happier with him today than I was yesterday."

Tomorrow's tips:

Ripon

2.10 Mizz Tee, 2.40 Obe Bold, 3.10 Fitting Guest, 3.40 Johnston's Diamond, 4.10 Grand But One, 4.40 Aleron (Nap), 5.10 Field Spark.

Nottingham

2.30 Laconicos, 3.00 Valazar, 3.30 Grand View, 4.00 Fletcher, 4.30 Ipledgeallegiance, 5.00 Lucefer.

Tomorrow's other meetings are at Bangor (evening), Lingfield and Sedgefield (evening).

Tom O'Ryan's Nap for today's racing is: Encounter (4.50 at Carlisle).

Updated: 15:06 Monday, May 24, 2004