Jamie Spencer, in action at Newmarket this afternoon, travels to Thirsk this evening with every chance of riding winners.

The champion jockey is fancied to score on Numero Due in the £10,000 Calverts Carpets Handicap, and also Nap selection Zidane in the Dick Peacock Sprint Handicap.

Although defeated in both his starts this season, most recently at Leicester, Zidane (trained by James Fanshawe) remains a horse of sizeable potential. Fanshawe's horses are slowly coming to hand and Zidane should now be ripe to score.

His single-figure draw in this big field over six furlongs means he will almost certainly race near the inside rail, which is no disadvantage when the field divides into two groups on the sprint course.

Numero Due will be a popular choice in the two-miler. George Moore's four-year-old ran a mighty race at Ripon last time to finish second to Greenwich Meantime, who finished a seemingly unlucky third in the Chester Cup earlier this week.

There is nothing of Greenwich Meantime's prowess in tonight's race and Numero Due is fancied to go one better.

Fulke Johnson-Houghton has good prospects of winning the Hydra Food Group Handicap over seven furlongs with Peace Lily.

Stephen Carson's mount failed by only a short-head to get the better of Oceancookie at Warwick last time. A reproduction of that form would make her hard to beat.

Tomorrow at Worcester, Barfleur could follow up her recent Uttoxeter success as she has her first handicap race (2.50). A step up in distance at Uttoxeter was the key to her convincing 33-1 success and she appears to be a stayer of some potential.

Matthew Muroto is a confident Nap selection to land the bet365.com Novices' Chase at Uttoxeter tomorrow.

His trainer Robert Alner can do little wrong at present and this seven-year-old looked better than ever when winning at Newton Abbot at the end of last month.

Although his closest rivals fell at the final fence that day, he still beat a smart pair in Goblet Of Fire and Unleash and a similar performance would be good enough to allow him to collect a double.

Racing selections

TONIGHT

Thirsk: 6.15 Auction Time, 6.45 Peace Lily, 7.15 Ahlawy, 7.45 Numero Due, 8.15 Zidane (Nap), 8.45 Soba Fella.

Today's other meetings: Beverley (afternoon, Flat), Hexham (afternoon, National Hunt), Lingfield (afternoon, Flat), Newmarket (afternoon, Flat), Warwick (evening, National Hunt).

TOMORROW

Worcester: 2.20 Meggies Gamble, 2.50 Barfleur, 3.20 Harry Potter, 3.50 Tessanoora, 4.20 In The Frame, 4.50 Nelson's Spice, 5.20 Very Cool.

Uttoxeter selected race: 4.00 Matthew Muroto (Nap).

Tomorrow's other meeting: Plumpton (afternoon, National Hunt).

Updated: 12:26 Saturday, May 13, 2006