KEVIN Ryan, heading for his best-ever season, can hit the heights at Doncaster tomorrow when Palace Episode bids for Group 2 glory in the Champagne Stakes.

The Hambleton trainer, currently just a handful of winners away from 67 successes, a personal best he achieved last year, has always had a high opinion of Palace Episode.

A winner first-time-out at Catterick, the juvenile then went to York's Ebor Festival and, at a meeting where Ryan won the Gimcrack Stakes, Palace Episode gained his highlight by landing the hotly-contested Acomb Stakes.

Tomorrow sees another significant step up the ladder and Palace Episode needs to raise his game once more. But there is every reason to think this multi-talented colt will be equal to the task, reunited with Neil Callan, who was suspended when he won at York. A bold bid is anticipated in this £100,000 showpiece, sponsored by Intercasino.com.

In the DBS St Leger Yearling Stakes, some £40,000 is up for grabs, and the fitting of first-time blinkers on Imperial Sword could be significant.

David Barron's charge, a Ripon winner earlier in the season, missed most of the summer campaign, but ran respectably recently on his comeback outing when he returned to Ripon.

A horse with ability and potential, Imperial Sword could well bounce back to winning ways in this 22-runner sprint and is napped to pop-up at rewarding odds.

Khyber Kim is an interesting runner in the opening orderIT-online.com Conditions Stakes.

The three-year-old, trained by Henry Candy, produced a remarkable display on his debut at Haydock, coming from virtually last to first in a maiden race to win going away.

Candy has a high regard for Khyber Kim, a hyperactive gelding who has not been easy to train. He faces a fairly tough assignment here, but he remains a horse of some considerable potential.

Sendintank should not be overlooked in the Ladbrokes Mallard Handicap.

A good seventh in last month's Tote-Ebor on Knavesmire, after coming from the rear of the field, Stuart Williams' useful gelding will have the services of Jamie Spencer as he aims to record an overdue first win of the campaign.

Mubtaker, a wonderful high-class stalwart to Marcus Tregoning's stable, should go well in the Doncaster Audi Troy Stakes, while the speedy Playful Dane is expected to play a strong role in the Community Union Betting Shop Staff Handicap over five furlongs.

Jamie Spencer teams up with Sir Michael Stoute in the concluding Wilfreda Beehive Stakes when the pair are represented by Rob Roy, a live Classic contender early in the season before suffering a setback. A potentially high-class performer, he should be closely monitored as he returns to the comeback trail in this one-mile conditions event.

Friday's tips:

Doncaster

1.40 Khyber Kim, 2.10 Imperial Sword (NAP), 2.45 Sendintank, 3.20 Palace Episode, 3.55 Mubtaker, 4.30 Playful Dane, 5.05 Rob Roy

Sandown

2.00 Eversden, 2.35 Holbeck Ghyll, 3.10 Burley Flame, 3.45 Pearl King, 4.20 Well Established, 4.55 Paparaazi

Tomorrow's other race meeting is at Bangor.

Updated: 13:28 Thursday, September 08, 2005