Mornin Reserves is fancied to land an evening bonus at Newcastle tomorrow.
The Ian Semple-trained sprinter lines-up for the £35,000 Northern Rock Gosforth Park Cup, the showpiece event on a fixture which precedes Saturday afternoon's big day on the course, highlighted by the Northumberland Plate, better known as the 'Pitmen's Derby'.
Previously trained by Donald Nolan, for whom he won several races last season, Mornin Reserves got back in the winning groove at Hamilton last time, absolutely breezing home under top weight.
That success coincided with a turning of the tide for the Semple yard, which has since sent out a stream of winners.
A stiff five furlongs, which is what he will get at Newcastle, is ideal for Mornin Reserves, who is napped to light-up this evening programme.
David Nicholls can get punters off to a good start with Eton in the opening race, the Bollinger Champagne Challenge Series Handicap.
The seven-year-old finished a close-up second at Ayr last week and would hardly need to improve much on that level of form to lift this amateur riders' event.
Middleham trainer Mark Johnston should figure on the Newcastle scoreboard.
The fast-improving Penny Cross (8.25) is fancied to complete a hat-trick of wins in the cantorsport.co.uk Handicap and defy a 6lb penalty.
Cripsey Brook has won two on his last three races, including one on this course. Kim Tinkler's mount looks good in the Weatherbys Travel Classified Stakes.
The principal race meeting romorrow afternoon is at Newmarket, where the Tim Easterby-trained Tedstale merits serious consideration.
The £14,000 Sandals And Beaches Rated Handicap is the target for the Great Habton gelding, who met trouble in running before finishing strongly into second place at York a couple of weeks ago.
A winner at Newcastle earlier this season, Tedstale has every chance of doubling his tally here in the hands of Kevin Darley.
Darley will also be aboard Impressive Flight, another North Yorkshire raider, in the Le Grand Prix De La Martinique Fillies' Stakes.
Trained by David Barron, whose horses are running out of their skins at present, Impessive Flight has been confined to one outing so far this term, but she proved herself a very able sprinter last year, winning over this course and distance. I expect her to make a bold bid in this six-furlongs dash.
The Half Moon, Montego Bay Handicap over five furlongs looks a good opportunity for Tender to get back on top.
The mount of Jimmy Quinn, Tender, trained by David Cosgrove, has been running well in defeat lately. She has plenty going for her tomorrow to get her head in front.
Evening Press Sunday Raceday spectacular: Page 7.
Tomorrow's tips:
NEWMARKET
2.00 Brazilian Terrace, 2.30 Russian Dance, 3.05 Tender, 3.35 Tedstale, 4.10 Impressive Flight, 4.40 Pinchincha
Newcastle
6.45 Eton, 7.20 Mornin Reserves (Nap), 7.55 Socialise, 8.25 Penny Cross, 8.55 Busted Flush, 9.25 Cripsey Brook.
FOLKESTONE
2.20 Fools Entire, 2.50 Jools, 3.25 Espresso Time, 4.00 St Austell, 4.30 Tbm Can, 5.00 Anyhow.
Tomorrow's other meetings are at Goodwood (Flat, evening), Stratford (National Hunt, evening) and Wolverhampton (Flat, afternoon, all-weather track).
Updated: 12:36 Thursday, June 26, 2003
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