North Yorkshire sprinter Pearl Ice, who did this column a good turn when justifying his nap selection in slick style at Ripon on Wednesday night, turns out again at Newmarket tomorrow and is again napped to complete a quick-fire double.

It is a measure of Maunby trainer David Barron’s high expectation of Pearl Ice that he is seriously considering him for the Wokingham Handicap at Royal Ascot at the end of next week, but in order to get into that prestigious contest he could do with elevating himself in the weights.

He picked up a 6lb penalty for winning at Ripon, and he faces a similar rise if he wins tomorrow, but in doing so would guarantee himself a place in the Wokingham line-up.

Barron clearly feels it’s a route worth taking. He described him at Ripon as “a proper horse”, a term the trainer tends to use only about the best of his team. Lightly-raced and a desperately unlucky loser at Thirsk on his previous outing before Ripon, Pearl Ice is taken to oblige again in the £30,000 Fly London Southend To Barcelona Handicap – and book his Royal Ascot ticket. Graham Gibbon again has the mount.

The £50,000 Fly London Southend To Dublin Handicap looks a good opportunity for Spifer to open his seasonal account.

Trainer Luca Cumani, whose horses are beginning to hit top form, has been typically patient with this four-year-old, who shaped with real promise at York last month, only to weaken in the closing stages. He should be all the better for that outing.

Trade Commissioner makes plenty of appeal in the Fly London Southend To Faro Handicap.

John Gosden’s charge has raced only twice, both races coming last season, and won on his second start at Sandown. He looks a bright prospect for this season and this Class 3 handicap looks a good starting point.

At Doncaster, Gosden can also make his mark with the highly-rated Starboard in the Free Betting With freebets.co.uk Conditions Stakes.

An easy Redcar winner last season on the second of his two outings, he was made odds-on at Newmarket on his reappearance last month but had to settle for second place behind the useful Fort Bastion. He can pick up the pieces here before going on to even better things.

Malton trainer Richard Fahey and his former stable jockey Paul Hanagan continue to enjoy plenty of success together and the pair have bright prospects with Lord Aeryn in the freebets.co.uk Free Bets Handicap over seven furlongs.

A winner over this course and distance last season, Lord Aeryn ran well to finish fourth on his comeback outing at Haydock last month over a mile. He promises to be involved in the finish once again.

Rae Guest has an interesting sprinter in Million Faces, who ran with promise on her debut at Sandown last season before finishing a close-up second when backed into favouritism on her second outing at Ffos Las.

She reappears in the Brenda Armstrong 75th Birthday Maiden Stakes and is selected to make it third time lucky.

Also worth noting on Town Moor are Newbury debut winner Well Painted (2.05), now tackling handicap company, and Kevin Ryan’s Ayr Missile (2.40), narrowly beaten on his debut at Haydock.

Racing selections

Newmarket (tomorrow)

1.45 Ask Dad, 2.20 Chil The Kite, 2.55 Pearl Ice (NAP), 3.30 Trade Commissioner, 4.00 Spifer, 4.35 Pearl Acclaim, 5.10 Fairest, 5.40 Boss’s Destination.

Doncaster (tomorrow)

2.05 Well Painted, 2.40 Ayr Missile, 3.15 Million Faces, 3.45 Lord Aeryn, 4.20 Starboard, 4.55 Getabuzz.

Tomorrow’s other meetings

Chester, Hexham, Newcastle, Windsor and Worcester.

Today’s meetings

Bath, Catterick, Doncaster, Goodwood, Market Rasen and Newmarket.