FLAK Jacket, an easy winner at Pontefract last Friday night, is strongly fancied to defy a penalty at Catterick tomorrow.

The David Nicholls-trained sprinter lines up for the Halifax Handicap over five furlongs and will again have the assistance of Darryll Holland.

Formerly trained by Brian Meehan, smart speedster Flak Jacket has taken time to find his form this season for Nicholls. But the last week has seen a significant step forward with the gelding going under by a whisker at Doncaster before bolting home at Pontefract.

Now that he has found his form, Flak Jacket looks a horse to follow and tomorrow he runs in a race which Nicholls landed 12 months ago with Jawhari. An encore looks likely.

The Leeds Nursery is the target for Windchill, trained by Tim Easterby, and this improving juvenile is napped to complete a hat-trick of wins.

Having got off the mark at Redcar, Windchill followed up in a valuable selling race at Newcastle. Clearly on the upgrade, the Great Habton youngster can oblige again here.

Jamie Spencer, formerly a champion apprentice in Ireland, has made a great impression since basing himself in Newmarket this season.

The young jockey appears to have a big future and it would come as no surprise to see him demonstrate his talents around Catterick by getting his name on the scoreboard.

Spencer can win the Leyburn Claiming Stakes on La Piazza, trained by the in-form William Haggas yard.

The Willie Carson-Pinker's Pond Apprentice Handicap commemorates the first-ever winner partnered by the five-times champion jockey - here 38 years ago.

This contest is for young riders who have yet to ride a winner and tomorrow Andrew Robertson, aboard the James Hetherton-trained Encounter, could be the one to break his duck.

Encounter won nicely at Hamilton last week and comes into this race in fine form.

Tomorrow's principal action is staged at Sandown's evening meeting, where the £10,000 Entrepreneurs Showcase Handicap takes pride of place.

Honours are expected to go to Falconidae, the mount of Seb Sanders. Trained by the astute Peter Makin, the three-year-old got off the mark at Bath when beating Strasbourg by half-a-length. Falconidae has the scope for further improvement and can add to his tally here.

Fletcher is not the easiest of horses to win with, but the six-year-old scored at Salisbury 11 days ago after a series of consistent placed efforts.

He can follow up in the Global Equity Handicap with Richard Hughes taking the mount.

The promising Shadowblaster gets the vote in the Traders Maiden Stakes, while John Wainwright sends Beyond The Clouds on the long journey from Malton to contest the High Yield Handicap and this in-form sprinter can chalk up his third win from four starts.

TOMORROW'S TIPS

CATTERICK

2.00 Sharp Secret,

2.30 Border Terrier,

3.00 Windchill (NAP),

3.30 Flak Jacket,

4.00 Kadoun,

4.30 La Piazza,

5.00 Encounter

SANDOWN

6.10 Hugwity,

6.40 Reduit,

7.10 Falconidae,

7.40 Fletcher,

8.10 Shadowblaster,

8.40 Beyond The Clouds