SIR Michael Stoute can get his season underway on a winning note at Warwick tomorrow.

The top Newmarket trainer saddles Arakan in ths Warwick Courier Maiden Stakes and the three-year-old is strongly fancied to make a successful reappearance.

A son of Nureyev, Arakan finished in the frame in both his starts last season, at Newcastle and Salisbury.

The type of horse to come into his own as three-year-old, Arakan looks poised to use tomorrow's race as a stepping stone to bigger targets in the future. Kieren Fallon, Sir Michael's number one jockey, has the mount.

Nap selection Caught In The Dark will not be short of supporters in the Dunchurch Classified Stakes.

John Dunlop's speedy filly, a winner over this course and distance last season as a juvenile, made an encouraging start to the current term when finishing fifth in a valuable handicap at Ascot.

She was never quite able to get to grips with the principals on that occasion but, likely to have been sharpened-up by the outing, she deserves every consideration tomorrow. Jimmy Quinn has the mount.

Trainer Gerard Butler rarely books Jamie Spencer for a mount without good reason and the duo join forces with Shares in the Wardington Handicap.

Although she failed to make a big impression in three outings last season, Shares showed enough to suggest that she can make her presence felt in a moderate event such as this on her handicap debut.

In the Valerie Penn Birthday Celebrations Handicap, Red Storm is fancied to come out on top.

The four-year-old has been in good form on the all-weather surfaces recently and comes here on the back of a Wolverhampton success. Ryan Moore takes the mount and is excellent value for his 3lb allowance.

On the Polytrack at Lingfield, Only One Legend is worthy of attention, representing Tim Easterby, who sent out three winners at Kelso yesterday.

The ladbrokes.Com Handicap over six furlongs is the target for Only One Legend, a course-and-distance winner, who has been in good form.

Andrew Balding, who has made a fine start to his training career since taking over from his father Ian, has placed Tarawan to win his last three starts. The gelding could extend that to four in the Bet Direct Apprentice Handicap.

Geoff Wragg and Darryll Holland, who teamed-up with a winner at Ripon last week, could win with the promising Quiet Storm in the Littlewoods Bet Direct Fillies' Handicap.

Wednesday's tip:

Warwick

2.00 Silent Revenge, 2.35 Fast Cindy, 3.05 Arakan, 3.40 Shares, 4.15 Caught In The Dark (Nap), 4.50 Red Storm.

Lingfield

1.50 Fleeting Moon, 2.20 Tarawan, 2.55 Loreto Rose, 3.30 Quiet Storm, 4.05 Decelerate, 4.40 Only One Legend, 5.15 Manaar.

- Tomorrow's other meeting is at Uttoxeter.

Updated: 12:23 Tuesday, April 08, 2003