Judge the size of Geoff Wragg's Ego at Newmarket tomorrow.

No, it's not a cutting criticism of the trainer but a hopeful pointer to a talented filly, who could be up to making a strong challenge for the Sagitta 1,000 Guineas in a fortnights' time.

Ego was twice a winner last autumn, and was particularly impressive when streaking away from her rivals at Doncaster's St Leger meeting.

For one reason or another, she seemingly failed to show her best form in her final start of the campaign when she finished fourth to Airwave in the Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket.

Some might argue that Ego did run up to scratch and that form represents the peak of her ability, but I tend to think that she might have gone 'over the top' by that stage of the season and consequently ran a little flat.

A three-year-old held in high regard by the experienced Wragg, who is an excellent trainer of fillies, Ego makes her keenly-awaited reappearance in tomorrow's Shadwell Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes, a traditional stepping-stone to the 1,000 Guineas.

Sheriff Hutton jockey Kevin Darley takes the mount on my Nap selection, who I strongly fancy to come up trumps at the first time of asking this year.

Settrington trainer John Quinn has made an excellent start to the season and can add to his tally of winners with Bigalothegigalo in the williamhill.co.uk Handicap over seven furlongs.

A Catterick winner on only his second outing last season, Bigalothegigalo was touched off in the dying strides by El Coto on his reappearance at last month's Doncaster Lincoln meeting.

The winner of that race has since run well in defeat, and Bigalothegigalo is taken to earn his ticket back into the number-one spot tomorrow.

Needwood Blade is fancied to make them all go in the opening NGK Spark Plugs Abernant Stakes.

A tried-and-trusted performer in good-class races over six and seven furlongs, Bryan McMahon's five-year-old, a course-and-distance winner, shaped well when finishing fourth in a similar Listed race at Doncaster last month.

Trainer Richard Hannon, who has some prococious juveniles under his care again this season can win the Interior plc Conditons Stakes with Signor Panettiere, the mount of Richard Hughes.

Successful on his debut at Kempton, Signor Panettiere looks capable of defying a penalty here and completing a double.

At Folkestone, Isa'af should take plenty of beating in the Westenhanger Handicap.

The four-year-old, trained by Peter Hiatt, gained a gutsy win in an apprentices' race at Pontefract last week. Eddie Ahern now takes on in the saddle and the in-form Isa'af is fancied to follow-up over this longer distance.

Willie Supple, just back from wintering in Dubai and on the mark in one of the Guineas Trials at Newbury on Saturday, can follow-up aboard In Xanadu in the Saffie Joseph & Sons Handicap.

Exeter have been forced to abandon the chase courses scheduled for tom orrow's card as the course is unraceable.

The meeting will go ahead but the chase races have been replaced with hurdle and National Hunt Flat races as the chase course cannot be used after a prolonged dry spell.

Exeter has had only one millimetre of rain in the past 36 days.

Tomorrow's tips:

NEWMARKET

1.45 Needwood Blade, 2.20 Ego (Nap), 2.55 Bigalothegigalo, 3.25 Steel Cat, 4.00 Signor Panettiere, 4.35 Love In Seattle, 5.10 Highland Games.

Folkestone

1.55 Mr Pertemps, 2.30 Intellibet One, 3.05 Blackheath, 3.35 Fellow Ship, 4.10 Isa'af, 4.45 Choral Chimes, 5.20 In Xanadu.

Tomorrow's other meeting is at Exeter.

Mystic Man, Tom O'Ryan's Nap for Saturday, won at 11-1 at Newbury.

Tom O'Ryan's Nap for this afternoon's racing was: Broken Knights (3.25 Hexham).

Updated: 12:28 Monday, April 14, 2003