Malton jockey Gyles Parkin, clawing his way back to prominence after spending almost a year out of action, has good prospects of a brace of winners at Southwell tomorrow.
Parkin teams-up with my Nap selection Hurricane Coast, who he rode to victory at Southwell last week, in the first division of the Bet Direct Handicap over six furlongs.
He will also be aboard Ovigo in the second division of the Bet Direct Sky Text Handicap over a mile.
Both are trained, alongside the track, by Paul Blockley, who has a good record in his own 'backyard.'
Parkin, who had a bad fall last year at Beverley, which left him a trapped nerve in his back and shoulder and caused him to lose the feeling in an arm and a hand, feared his career might be over.
But the jockey returned to action during the summer and, although opportunities have been thin on the ground, he has managed to accumulate a handful of winners.
He was seen to good effect when winning on Hurricane Coast last week and, although the gelding returns to a shorter trip tomorrow, he looks to have enough pace to cope with six furlongs.
Ovigo has yet to win on sand, but the gelding has shown enough to suggest that he could well break his duck in the concluding race of the day, and provide Parkin with a welcome change of luck.
Over the sticks at Sedgefield, Tyneandthyneagain gets the nod in the W A Stephenson Memorial Novices' Chase.
A former useful hurdler, Richard Guest's eight-year-old returned from a lengthy absence to finish second to the potentially high class Better Days at Southwell a couple of weeks ago. The benefit of that outing should stand him in good stead here and he his strongly fancied to go one better.
Tomorrow's tips
Southwell
12.10 Hurricane Coast (Nap), 12.40 Barzak, 1.10 Locombe Hill, 1.40 Turf Princess, 2.10 Kingston Town, 2.40 Trouble Mountain, 3.10 Colour Code, 3.40 Ovigo.
Sedgefield
1.00 Skenfrith, 1.30 In Good Faith, 2.00 Tyneandthyneagain, 2.30 Stormy Beach, 3.00 Joint Authority, 3.30 Carnacrack.
Tomorrow's other meeting is at Warwick.
Tom O'Ryan's Nap for this afternoon's racing was:Mutarafaa (12.05 at Southwell).
Updated: 12:28 Monday, November 24, 2003
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