Fresh from showcasing their Derby hope North Light on Knavesmire this week Sir Michael Stoute and Kieren Fallon head to Newbury tomorrow with a proven Classic winner.

Russian Rhythm, triumphant in last season's 1,000 Guineas, makes her eagerly-awaited reappearance in the £200,000 Juddmonte Lockinge Stakes and is fancied to return to action in a blaze of glory.

A top-flight performer, Russian Rhythm also won the Coronation Stakes and the Nassau Stakes last year before finishing second to Falbrav in the Queen Elizabeth 11 Stakes at Ascot.

The fact that she won the Guineas on her seasonal debut suggests that the lack of a preparatory outing tomorrow will not prevent her making a winning start to her campaign for the second successive year.

Sir Michael and Fallon, successful with Derby contender North Light in Wednesday's Dante Stakes, look poised to clinch another major prize here.

A total of 15 runners bid for the Lockinge, among them Quito from David Chapman's Stillington stable.

Winner of last year's Ayr Gold Cup and narrowly beaten in the Lincoln Hanidcap in March, Quito bounced back to winning form in handicap company yesterday.

Tomorrow's ambitious Group 1 test is a huge jump in class, but Tony Culhane's mount has masses of talent and, at 40-1, he could well run a lot better than those odds might indicate. I would not be at all surprised to see him sneak into a place.

Sheriff Hutton jockey Kevin Darley travels to Newbury with good prospects of getting on the scoreboard.

He teams-up with the progressive Swagger Stick for John Dunlop in the London Paddy Power Gold Cup and this dual-winner has excellent prospects of completing a hat-trick.

Darley will also be aboard Nowell House, trained by Mick Easterby, in the paddypower.com Handicap.

The versatile eight-year-old, successful over hurdles this winter, ran a fine race to finish sixth at York on Tuesday and will relish the easy ground at Newbury.

At Thirsk, Celtic Thunder can provide Norton trainer Tim Etherington with success in the feature race, the £14,000 Rectangle Group Handicap over five furlongs.

A good second to the high-class Sevillano at Hamilton on his seasonal debut, Celtic Thunder can be expected to have improved again, with that run under his belt. He should run a big race under Ryedale apprentice David Allan.

My Nap vote is awarded to World At My Feet in the EBF Carlton Miniott Novice Fillies' Stakes. Neville Bycroft's juvenile trotted-up on her latest visit to this course, looking every inch a filly with a bright future.

With Jimmy Quinn back on board tomorrow, she is strongly fancied to give an encore before possibly stepping-up in class.

Saturday's tips:

Newbury

1.35 Swagger Stick, 2.05 The Whistling Teal, 2.40 Russian Rhythm, 3.10 Nowell House, 3.45 Iceman, 4.20 Beejay, 4.55 Sound of Fleet, 5.25 Credit.

Thirsk

2.15 World At My Feet (Nap), 2.50 Brigadore, 3.20 Celtic Thunder, 3.55 Ellens Academy, 4.30 Sunday City, 5.00 Honest Injun, 5.30 Davorin.

Nottingham

Televised races: 1.50 Lake Garda, 2.20 Football Crazy, 2.55 Millybaa.

Tomorrow's other meetings are at Bangor (afternoon), Southwell (evening) and Uttoxeter (evening).

Updated: 12:22 Friday, May 14, 2004