Baracouda is the star attraction at Ascot tomorrow as the crack French hurdler makes his keenly-awaited return to action.

Last season's top staying novice, Baracouda has won his last five starts and was a Grade 1 winner here last December when he doled out a 14 length beating to Deano's Beano in the Long Walk Hurdle.

Francois Doumen's multi-talented gelding, who gained further Grade 1 glory at Sandown in April, looks very much a horse to follow again this winter.

His shrewd trainer, who has a wonderfully succesful strike-rate with horses he brings to Britain, has chosen the £26,000 PricewaterhouseCoopers Ascot Hurdle as the six-year-old's launching pad.

The distance of two and a half miles is on the short side for Baracouda, a proven three-miler, but his class is expected to prevail in a reappearance that should be well worth watching on BBC2.

A total of three races will be televised live from Ascot, where I expect Redemption to get back on the winning trail in the second of them, the Allied Irish Bank Handicap Chase.

Paul Webber's useful gelding made a slick winning reappearance at Wetherby last month, but was subsequently beaten on the same course by Banker Count.

The fact that that winner, trained by Mick Easterby, went on to finish a highly-respectable runner-up in the featured Edward Hanmer Chase at Haydock last Sunday, makes the form look rock-solid. I fancy Redemption to win in the hands of Norman Williamson.

My Nap vote, which was successfully awarded to easy 11-4 winner Red Blazer at Kempton yesterday, this time goes to Coulthard in the Evelyn Hankinson Handicap Hurdle.

Although it is some time since the Pam Sly-trained eight-year-old won a race, he gave notice at Wetherby three weeks ago that his turn is imminent by finishing a close second to Double Blade.

A horse who travels strongly in his races, Coulthard is a previous winner over this course and distance. He can return to the glory trail tomorrow under regular rider, Warren Marston.

Also worth watching out for at Ascot are the promising Adelphi Theatre (1.00) and the hat-trick seeking Lord Youky (1.35).

At Exeter, Adrian Maguire, only two winners short of his 1,000th success, can become only the seventh jump-jockey in British history to achieve the milestone. His host of fancied rides includes Black Fashion (2.20), Iso Bald (2.50) and Rose Of Tracarta (3.20).

Tomorrow's tips:

Ascot

1.00 - Adelphi Theatre

1.35 - Lord Youky

2.10 - Native Hunter

2.40 - Baracouda

3.10 - Redemption

3.40 - Coulthard (Nap)

Exeter

12.40 - Eric's Bett

1.15 - St Helensfield

1.50 - Creative Time

2.20 - Black Fashion

2.50 - Iso Bald

3.20 - Rose Of Tracarta

3.50 - Always Game

Updated: 13:23 Thursday, November 22, 2001