Trainer Eric Alston and jockey Kevin Darley, who teamed up to land last year's Nunthorpe Stakes at York with Reverence, join forces at Thirsk this evening and are fancied to chalk up another sprinting success with Foxy Music.

While the Turftv Handicap hardly ranks as mentioning in the same breath as the Nunthorpe, it is interesting to note that Alston described Foxy Music as "one of the fastest horses I've trained, if not one of the best", after his recent all the way success at Haydock.

The three-year-old, a hyperactive character, who has taken time to settle into his racing, certainly showed bags of pace at Haydock and the sharp Thirsk track should be very much to his liking.

Alston clearly feels that the best of Foxy Music is still to come and, with Dean McKeown, who rode him to victory at Haydock, sidelined with a broken collarbone, Darley gets the call up for this up-and-coming sprinter tonight. He may not be another Reverence, but Foxy Music is plainly a horse on the up. He is napped to post his second career success.

Nigel Tinkler has good prospects of landing a couple of winners on the Thirsk card. The Langton trainer saddles Dressed To Dance, another Darley mount, in the Hares of Snape Handicap and this recent scorer looks to have been found another good opportunity.

Foreign Rhythm can also oblige for Tinkler in the opening Beatrice Stephenson Memorial Maiden Stakes.

Runner-up in all his three starts, Foreign Rhythm failed by only a short head to get the better of Wise Son on his latest outing at Windsor. Overdue a winning turn, this speedy juvenile can finally find opportunity knocking here in the hands of John Egan.

Richard Fahey, who saddled three winners on Saturday - two at Redcar and another at Ascot's Shergar Cup meeting - can add to his burgeoning tally with Graceful Descent in the Finn's Maiden Stakes.

Beaten only a neck when second to Farsighted on her debut at York last month, Graceful Descent makes plenty of appeal with Paul Hangan on board.

Boston Spa-based jockey Dale Gibson is enjoying a lucrative campaign. He can add to his tally on Sharaab in the Black Sheep Brewery Handicap, Don Cantillon's gelding having scored on his latest outing at Yarmouth, with Gibson in the saddle.

Tomorrow's Brighton programme offers nap selection Perfect Treasure to strike it rich for the second successive week at this venue.

James Toller's four-year-old gained a half-length success over this course and distance just five days ago. A 6lb penalty makes life a little more difficult, but Toller has booked the services of smart apprentice Patrick Hills, whose riding allowance effectively eliminates his mount's extra burden.

The promising Commandment (2.30) and the speedy Peruvian Style (3.00) are two others to consider on tomorrow's only afternoon Flat racing action.


Racing selections

Thirsk (tonight)
5.55 Foreign Rhythm, 6.25 Graceful Descent, 6.55 Blue Empire, 7.25 Dressed To Dance, 7.55 Sharaab, 8.25 Foxy Music (NAP).

Today's other meetings:
Wolverhampton, Stratford, Windsor (evening).

Brighton (tomorrow)
2.00 Prince Valentine, 2.30 Commandment, 3.00 Peruvian Style, 3.30 Elounda, 4.00 Prince Des Neiges, 4.30 Perfect Treasure (NAP).

Tomorrow's other meetings:
Newton Abbot, Musselburgh (evening), Nottingham (evening).