James Doyle, the leading apprentice jockey on the all-weather tracks this winter, can play a starring role at Lingfield tomorrow.

The talented 5lb claimer teams up with Sands of Barra in £10,000 lingfield-racecourse.co.uk Handicap.

Trained by Neville Callaghan, Sands of Barra caught the eye on this course last week when finishing a close-up fifth to Rebellion, staying on all the way to the finish.

Sure to be sharper for that comeback outing, Sands of Barra can triumph tomorrow.

Middleham trainer Mark Johnston can land the Arena Leisure plc Handicap with Orvietan, the mount of Joe Fanning.

Johnston's chosen representative from four entries in this race, Orvietan is a previous winner on this course. Open to further improvement, he is fancied to beat his four rivals.

Tony Culhane will be travelling to the Surrey course from his home near Thirsk and the jockey can be rewarded with victory on African Gift in the Golf & Racing At Lingfield Park Handicap.

The four-year-old, trained by James Given, will be making her seasonal reappearance on a surface largely unknown to her. But she is a pretty capable performer on her day and it would come as no surprise to see her show her rivals a clean pair of heels in this six furlong dash.

Abaconian makes plenty of appeal in the arenaleisureplc.com Maiden Stakes over a mile.

The Mark Wallace-trained three-year-old went down by little more than a length to the odds-on Kalankari at Lingfield last week.

If that form can be used as an accurate guide, Abaconian should have every chance of going one better tomorrow, with champion jockey Jamie Spencer in the saddle.

Over jumps at Wincanton, Nap selection Picot de Say has good prospects of completing a hat-trick of wins in the opening event.

Successful at Taunton and Huntingdon within a matter of days a couple of weeks ago, Craig Roberts's gelding has every chance of obliging again here, having been raised only 7lb by the handicapper.

Paul Nicholls and Ruby Walsh are always a partnership to fear and the trainer-jockey combination look set for a lucrative afternoon.

The admirably consistent The Luder, a previous winner on this course, can oblige for the pair in the 3 Counties Plant & Tool Hire Novices' Hurdle, while Taranis, winner of both his completed starts this season, can be another success story for them in the Wessex Waste Novices' Chase.

The promising Silverburn, a good second on his debut, can also score for Nicholls and Walsh in the Open National Hunt Flat Race.

Thursday's tips:

Lingfield

2.30 Royal Bandit, 3.05 Abaconian, 3.35 Sands of Barra, 4.10 Orvietan, 4.45 Lightning Strike, 5.15 African Gift, 5.45 Stoneacre Boy.

Wincanton

2.10 Picot de Say (Nap), 2.45 Wizard Of Edge, 3.15 The Luder, 3.50 First Love, 4.25 Saltango, 4.55 Taranis, 5.25 Silverburn.

Tomorrow's other meeting is at Chepstow.

Updated: 12:26 Wednesday, March 29, 2006