WING Commander, who finished fourth in the Lincoln Handicap at Doncaster ten days ago, can build on that excellent first effort of the season at Pontefract's opening meeting tomorrow.

The five-year-old, previously trained by Michael Bell at Newmarket, but now with Malton-based Richard Fahey, goes for the £15,000 High-Rise Classified Stakes and is fancied to take all the beating.

Wing Commander ran a mighty race in the Lincoln, finishing on the heels of the three principals on the stands-side of the straight mile course. Tomorrow's extra two furlongs will suit him admirably and he can provide Paul Hanagan with a winning ride.

In the £15,000 Pontefract Park Handicap, Strong Hand should go well from the Mick Easterby stable.

A good sixth in the Spring Mile at Doncaster - the consolation race for the Lincoln - Strong Hand will relish the expected good-to-soft ground and the uphill finish. She is awarded the nap vote to get her head in front.

Archie Babe is hard to oppose in the opening Betfair.com Apprentice Series Handicap.

John Quinn's gelding failed to get into the thick of the action at Doncaster, where he was badly drawn, but he more than made up for that by winning comfortably at Newcastle on Saturday.

With the ground again in his favour tomorrow, Archie Babe should take all the beating, with the promising Duran Fentiman in the saddle.

Settrington-based Quinn can also land the Jason & Rachel Joint 30th Birthday Selling Stakes with Mizhar.

The eight-year-old is not only fit from an all-weather campaign, but he was also the winner of this race 12 months ago. Robert Winston has the task of producing him to gain a repeat.

Frankie Dettori journeys to Pontefract to team-up with Serengeti Sky in the Yorkshire Racing Club Maiden Stakes, and the hint should be taken.

The three-year-old, who failed to see a racecourse last season, is trained for Sheikh Mohammed by David Loder, who is pretty adept at producing first-time-out winnners.

There would be no more appropriate winner of the Jamaican Flight Handicap than the horse after whom the event is named.

The 11-year-old, a prolific winner on this track, hence this honour, will be partnered by John Egan. However, he may have to settle for place honours, with the vote going to Mary Reveley's My Line, reverting to the Flat from hurdling and, significantly the mount of Darryll Holland.

Jeff Pearce enjoys his trips north from his Newmarket base and the trainer is fancied to make his presence felt with Stargem in the Pontefract-Races Co.UK Maiden Fillies' Stakes.

The three-year-old, lightly raced last season, showed ability nontheless, and looks the type to come in to her own this year.

Tomorrow's Tips:

Pontefract

2-20 Archie Babe, 2-50 Mizhar, 3-20 Strong Hand (NAP), 3-50 Serengeti Sky, 4-20 Wing Commander, 4-50 My Line, 5-20 Stargem

Lingfield

2-30 Lateral Thinker, 3-00 Kingsdon, 3-30 Single Track Mind, 4-00 Lucayan Monarch, 4-30 Night Cap, 5-00 Little Richard

Tomorrow's other meeting is at Exeter

Tom O'Ryan's Nap for this afternoon's racing was: Mytimie (4.40 at Kelso)

Updated: 12:23 Monday, April 05, 2004