Middlethorpe, who gave his York owners a flying start to the Flat turf season when winning the first race at Doncaster last week, has an excellent chance of scoring at Catterick tomorrow.

The Mick Easterby-trained seven-year-old goes for the catterickbridge.co.uk Handicap and will again have the services of Paul Mulrennan, who rode him so well on Town Moor.

That victory prompted York chartered surveyor Alan Black, who bred Middlethorpe and owns him in partnership with John Quickfall, to say: "It's wonderful to win the first race of the season and be leading owners for the season - even it is for only half an hour. Eat your heart out, Sheikh Mohammed!"

Middlethorpe's Doncaster success was in an apprentices' race, which means he escapes a weight-penalty tomorrow.

No Grouse deserves attention in the Gods Solution Handicap over seven furlongs.

A winner over the course and distance last season when trained by Eric Alston, No Grouse is now with Richard Fahey and has had three outings on the sand in recent weeks. He surely goes into tomorrow's race as fit as any horse in the field.

Fox Covert, trained near the Catterick course by David Barker, showed enough last season to suggest he can make his prescence felt in the Toytop Maiden Stakes.

The Mark Johnston-trained Woody Valentine looks capable enough to defy weight all-round in the Yarm Handicap.

At Nottingham, Oldenway is napped to win the Roseland Group Classified Stakes for the second successive year.

Richard Fahey's gelding underlined his well-being with a good effort from a poor draw to finish second in the ladies' race at Doncaster last weekend. He should now promote himself to the number one slot under Paul Hanagan.

Hanagan can also score on Jakarmi in the Nottingham Racecourse Conference Centre Handicap over a mile.

The three-year-old, trained by Bryn Palling, has been in good form on the all-weather and will lack nothing in fitness as he switches to turf.

Top Irish jockey Johnny Murtagh will be riding regularly in Britain this season, principally for Newmarket trainer David Loder.

Murtagh rode a couple of winners at Doncaster last weekend and his talents have clearly been noticed by Thirsk trainer Lynda Ramsden, who has booked Murtagh to ride two horses at Nottingham, Johnny Parkes in the Bottiesford Handicap, and Greenwich Meantime, who lines up for the Colston Bassett Handicap. The hint should be taken.

Wednesday's tips:

Catterick

2.20 Sahara Silk, 2.50 Xaloc Bay, 3.20 Middlethorpe, 3.50 No Grouse, 4.20 Fox Covert, 4.50 Woody Valentine.

Nottingham

2.10 Weet Yer Tern, 2.40 Johnny Parkes, 3.10 Greenwich Meantime, 3.40 Fromsong, 4.10 Alcazar, 4.40 Oldenway (Nap), 5.10 Jakarmi.

Tomorrow's other meeting is at Lingfield.

Updated: 12:13 Tuesday, March 30, 2004