Columbine, a winner at Musselburgh two weeks ago, returns to the course tomorrow with excellent prospects of an encore.

The Alan Berry-trained sprinter goes for the Sean Graham Channel 4 Teletext P616 Fillies' Handicap and is taken to oblige again.

Columbine scored by a head from Strensall here on her latest visit and is set to race off a 4lb higher mark tomorrow.

With Francis Norton, who knows her so well, again in the saddle, a follow-up looks very much on the cards.

'Coincidence' punters will be looking to Berry to produce the goods in the opening race, the Sean Graham Maiden Auction Stakes.

The Cockerham trainer has won this event for the last four years with Blackpool Mammas, Red Millennium, Red Eagle and Red Galaxy.

His representative this time is Comtake Dot Com, who is sure to have been well prepared for a race Berry has called his own for so long.

Bon Ami can be yet another winner for Berry and Norton in the Sean Graham Classified Stakes.

The seven-year-old has been primed for turf racing by having three runs on the sand and, in a race where he is favoured by the weights, he should make a bold bid over his best distance of seven furlongs.

Settrington trainer John Quinn and champion jockey Kieren Fallon teamed-up win at Pontefract yesterday with Mizhar, and the pair join forces again, courtesy of my Nap selection Aleron in the Sean Graham Handicap.

Things just didn't seem to pan out quite right for the five-year-old at Catterick last time when Celtic Blaze dashed past him and held him to the line, but Aleron has every chance of gaining his revenge on that rival tomorrow.

Fallon can also score on the Sir Michael Stoute-trained newcomer Namroud in the Sean Graham Maiden Stakes.

At Brighton, Polly Plunkett makes plenty of appeal in the Saltwell Signs Classified Stakes.

A good second to Jaroor at Nottingham last month, on her first outing for new trainer Mark Brisbourne, Polly Plunkett should be all the better for that race and has strong claims in this modest-looking affair.

Mark Flynn, who has now joined Brisbourne as stable apprentice, and who rode a winner for the trainer at Ripon last week, has the mount on Polly Plunkett.

Aveiro, twice a winner on this course, can complete a treble in the Lucy d'Auvergne Lady Riders' Series Handicap over a mile and a half.

Sarah Bosley, worth her weight in gold in these events, takes the ride on Aveiro, who should have benefitted from a recent outing at Wolverhampton.

North Yorkshire jockey Robert Winston belatedly opened his turf account for the season on Great Habton, near Malton, trainer Tim Easterby's Tough Love in the Pontefract Park Stakes at Pontefract yesterday.

Winston, who had ridden 22 winners on the all-weather tracks, had fifty losers in three weeks on turf before yesterday.

Tough Love dashed into the lead off the home turn in the mile test, and though strongly challenged in the final furlong by Island Light, Winston kept him going well to hold on by a neck.

Thursday's tips:

Musselburgh

2.20 Comtake Dot Com, 2.55 Bon Ami, 3.25 Oscar Pepper, 3.55 Columbine, 4.25 Namroud, 4.55 Aleron (Nap).

Brighton

2.00 Micky Thin, 2.35 Al Muallim, 3.05 Artistry, 3.35 Polly Plunkett, 4.05 Donegal Dancer, 4.35 Aveiro, 5.05 Byo.

- Tomorrow's other meeting is at Ludlow.

Updated: 12:26 Wednesday, April 09, 2003