Ask Paul Fessey to name his favourite vehicle at present and the chances are he'll opt for a Sierra - not the version manufactured by Ford, but the four-legged variety trained by Tony Carroll.

Fessey, who lives near Thirsk, has scored on Sierra at Southwell in each of the last two weeks.

The first occasion, when they shared the honours in a dead-heat, Fessey enjoyed a memorable treble on the card. Last Thursday, five-year-old Sierra underlined her well-being with a workmanlike success.

It's back to Southwell tomorrow for the pairing, and a hat-trick looks on the cards in the betdirect.co.uk Banded Stakes.

Robert Winston can get punters off to a good start by landing the five-furlong Betdirect On Tennis Banded Stakes aboard Boanerges.

Milton Bradley's sprinter finished a good fourth over this course and distance last week and is fancied to resume winning ways with Winston doing the steering.

Kumakawa should not be overlooked in the Betdirect Freephone Banded Stakes over a mile.

The eight-year-old was noted staying on strongly to finish fourth to Sierra here last week over seven furlongs and tomorrow's longer trip should be ideal, especially as he was a winner over the same course and distance in November.

Tony Culhane, enjoying a successful winter campaign on the all-weather surface, has good prospects of adding to his tally of winners on Opera Knight in the Bet Now At betdirect.co.uk Stakes.

The six-year-old, a stablemate of Sierra, came good at Wolverhampton last time and, now that he's got his head in front, he may be able to run up a little sequence.

Over the jumps at Sedgefield, The Music Queen is sportingly napped to make a winning debut in the SIS Mares' Only National Hunt Flat Race.

The five-year-old represents North Yorkshire trainer Alan Swinbank, who has an excellent record in these races this season.

It is significant that The Music Queen runs here in preference to Swinbank's other original entry, Barton Belle, a recent runaway winner at Wetherby. Also significant is the fact that top Northern jockey Graham Lee is booked for the mount.

Primitive Poppy will not be without supporters in the Weatherbys Insurance Handicap Hurdle.

The Ann Hamilton-trained mare just failed to get the better of Joe Brown on this course last time. She faces a much stiffer test of stamina tomorrow but deserves respect in the hands of Peter Buchanan once again.

The John Smith's Extra Smooth Handicap Chase will not take a great deal of winning and Little Flora may be able to lead from start to finish.

This habitual front-runner was unable to shrug off her pursuers at Kelso last time and finished fourth to Moor Spirit, but she deserves another chance. Michael McAlister, a conditional rider with a good record on this course, again has the mount.

Tuesday's tips

Southwell

1.30 Boanerges, 2.00 Velvet Touch, 2.30 Opera Knight, 3.00 Surdoue, 3.30 Sierra, 4.00 Kumakawa.

Sedgefield

1.40 Sabreflight, 2.10 Gospel Song, 2.40 Canavan, 3.10 Primitive Poppy, 3.40 Little Flora, 4.10 The Music Queen (Nap).

Tomorrow's other meeting is at Leicester (precautionary inspection at 8.15am because heavy frost is forecast for tonight).

Tom O'Ryan's Nap for this afternoon's racing was: Farne Isle (3.05 at Wetherby).

Updated: 11:45 Monday, January 23, 2006