The opening meeting of Thirsk's season, the first day of the Scottish Grand National fixture at Ayr and a potentially informative meeting at Newbury sees punters spoilt for choice tomorrow.

Tim Easterby, who was on the mark with a total of four winners at Kelso and Pontefract earlier in the week, promises to be on the scoreboard at Thirsk, where Raphael contests the Sinderby Handicap over seven furlongs.

Not only is the four-year-old a previous course-and-distance winner, but she ran a blinder on her reappearance at Catterick a fortnight ago to be beaten only a neck by Shanook after being poorly drawn.

A reproduction of that form should make Raphael hard to beat here, with smart apprentice David Allan again taking the mount.

Easterby and Allan should also make a bold bid with My American Beauty in the Hambleton Classified Stakes, but preference here is for Dubaian Gift, trained by Andrew Balding at Kingsclere in Berkshire.

An improved sprinter last season, winning two of his last three starts, Dubaian Gift can pick up where he left off. He should give Martin Dwyer a good ride.

Jamie Spencer, who displayed his talents to excellent effect aboard Lingo at Pontefract on Tuesday, can play another starring role aboard Annambo in the Feversham Arms Helmsley Maiden Stakes.

Trained at Newmarket by David Loder, a man who rarely sends horses south for the good of their health, Annambo showed definite signs of ability on his only outing last season. He looks the type to come into his own this term over tomorrow's distance of 12 furlongs.

At Ayr, Florries Son makes plenty of appeal in the Albert Bartlett And Sons Ltd Handicap Hurdle.

Martin Todhunter has done a superb job of placing this eight-year-old this season and turning him into a prolific winner.

Having decided against pitching him into the deep end at Aintree last Saturday, Todhunter can earn his reward by seeing Florries Son triumphant in this £15,000 event. Paul Robson takes the mount on my Nap selection.

Cita Verde can clinch the principal race at Ayr, the £30,000 Daily Record Mares' Only Handicap Hurdle.

A recent winner on the Flat at Newcastle, Cita Verde was also successful on her latest outing over hurdles. Peter Monteith's versatile five-year-old will be hard to beat in the hands of Wilson Renwick.

Lirfox, representing the formidable Martin Pipe-Tony McCoy combination makes stacks of appeal in the opening race, the James Barr Novices' Hurdle, while Tysou is an alternative to the mud-loving No Need For Alarm in the four-runner in the Gala Casinos Novices' Chase.

At Newbury, Sussex trainer John Dunlop and former champion jockey Pat Eddery are worth noting.

The duo will be strongly represented by Impersonator in the Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise Rated Handicap, and also by smart sprinter Injaaz in the Dubai Duty Free Full of Surprises Handicap.

Tomorrow's tips

Thirsk

2.00 Miss Brookie, 2.30 Annambo, 3.05 Sir Don, 3.40 Raphael, 4.10 Coranglais, 4.40 Dubaian Gift.

Ayr

2.20 Lirfox, 2.55 Tysou, 3.25 Cita Verde, 4.00 Kadarann, 4.30 Brooklyn Breeze, 5.00 Sparky Gayle, 5.30 Florries Son (Nap).

Newbury

2.10 Red Power, 2.45 Impersonator, 3.15 Injaaz, 3.50 Calibre, 4.20 Nofa's Magic, 4.50 Triple Act, 5.20 Syncopation.

Updated: 13:55 Thursday, April 10, 2003