Fresh from his success on Knavesmire, Mark Johnston heads to Thirsk tomorrow with excellent chances of adding to his bulging scoresheet.

The Middleham trainer, triumphant at York yesterday with Bouncing Bowdler and on Tuesday with Royal Rebel, saddles Star Rage in the Joe Baggot Retirement Handicap. And this popular veteran has strong claims in the hands of Jason Weaver.

Although now a 10-year-old, Star Rage remains enthusiastic about racing, as he showed at Beverley recently when he was beaten only a length into second by Bustling Rio after being collared a mere fifty yards from the line.

Compensation awaits Star Rage tomorrow.

Flamenco Red will be hard to beat in the the Deepdale Solutions N.S.P.C.C. Classified '90' Stakes.

Although yet to get off the mark, Roger Charlton's three-year-old has finished in the frame in three of his four outings and possesses unmistakable promise. His winning turn is likely to come tomorrow with Kevin Darley on board.

In the Helmsley Selling Stakes, it would come as no surprise to see Petit Tor follow-up her recent Catterick success.

Paul Hanagan, in the saddle on that occasion, sneaked through on the inside near the finish to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

Trainer John Norton has booked smart apprentice Hanagan for the mount again tomorrow and an encore is far from a remote possibility.

Benzoe is a course specialist at Thirsk and the Tony Fawcett-owned veteran is fancied to run a big race in thehorsesmouth.co.uk Apprentice Handicap.

Trained by David Nicholls, Benzoe, a winner at Haydock this summer, will be ably assisted by Clare Roche.

At Newmarket, Vision Of Night gets the nap vote in the Charles Heidsieck Champagne Hopeful Stakes.

The four-year-old, back with John Dunlop in Arundel after an unsuccessful stint in the USA, scored in workmanlike fashion at Yarmouth earlier this month.

Further successes await this smart sprinter, who will be partnered by Pat Eddery tomorrow.

Eddery can also score on the Martin Pipe-trained Tensile in the Breheny Handicap.

Investment Force is expected to be involved in the business end of the Saxham Nursery over a mile.

Mark Johnston's colt ran a solid race at Beverley last time when he was only caught in the closing stages by Port Moresby, the hot favourite.

Tomorrow's slightly longer trip should suit him even better and, with Richard Hills taking the mount, Investment Force has strong claims.

The NGK Spark Plugs Apprentice Handicap hardly looks a race to get too heavily involved in, but Be My Wish has as good a chance as any and a better one than most. Furthermore, Bill O'Gorman's charge has the experienced Jamie Mackay in the saddle.

Connections will wait before deciding on a target for Tote Ebor winner Give The Slip.

The colt's trainer Amanda Perrett said today: "He's fine. We'll see how he is - he doesn't hold an engagement in the Leger and we'll give it a couple of days before we make a decision what we'll do with him."

Tomorrow's tips

THIRSK

2-20 Mawhoob

2-50 Petit Tor

3-20 Flamenco Red

3-55 Long Weekend

4-25 Star Rage

4-55 Benzoe

Newmarket

2-00 Ecstatic

2-30 Dress Rehearsal

3-00 Investment Force

3-30 Vision Of Night (NAP)

4-05 Tensile

4-35 Polar Haze

5-10 Be My Wish