DAVID O’MEARA might well figure among the winners at his local Thirsk course this afternoon, but the Nawton trainer will be at Newmarket.

Not only does he have a Classic runner at headquarters, he also fields a rock-solid runner in the main supporting sprint.

Hail The Hero is O’Meara’s representative in the Qipco 2,000 Guineas, but this long-priced contender has only a remote chance of causing an upset.

By contrast, stable-mate Watchable is napped to lift the £60,000 Pearl Bloodstock Palace House Stakes.

Although a horse who showed good form at up to seven furlongs last season, Watchable is considered to have the necessary speed to cope with this drop back to the minimum trip.

He made a fine start to the season when narrowly beaten by Astaire in the Abernant Stakes on this course a fortnight ago and, indeed, might well have won that day had he had the benefit of a preparatory outing.

This does not look the strongest renewal of a race won last year by the sensational Sole Power, and Watchable is fancied to show his rivals a clean pair of heels to nail a Group 3 triumph.

While Hail The Hero will need to produce a career-best to enter the reckoning in the Guineas, Estidhkaar already has the credentials to make him a leading fancy in the hands of Paul Hanagan.

Not at his best when a beaten favourite in the Dewhurst Stakes last back end, the only defeat he suffered as a juvenile, Estidhkaar made a good start to the new term when a close-up second in the Greenham Stakes at Newbury over seven furlongs.

This step up to a mile will suit him and although his trainer Richard Hannon is likewise well represented by the likes of Ivawood - third in the Greenham, but considered in need of the race - and Kool Kompany and Moheet, first and third respectively in the Craven Stakes, Estidhkaar is marginally preferred to come out on top in a race which also features Aidan O’Brien’s Gleneagles, an outstanding juvenile last season.

The Newmarket card also offers useful opportunities to the exciting Twilight Son (4.20), who is confidently expected to extend his unbeaten record, and the promising Flashy Memories (5.30), who provides Richard Fahey with a good chance of a winner on 2,000 Guineas day.

At Thirsk, the £25,000 totepool Thirsk Hunt Cup takes pride of place. A maximum 18-strong field will face the starter and although he’s been done no favours by the draw, Off Art gets the nod.

Trained by Tim Easterby, whose horses are in blinding form, Off Art was a very useful three-year-old and never really got a proper go last season when he had only two outings, which included a fifth-placed effort in the Lincoln.

He remains a very interesting horse and it would be no surprise to see him shine here on a course where he has won in the past.

The Godolphin bandwagon is rolling at some considerable speed this season and Charlie Appleby has chances of more than one winner at Thirsk.

The Newmarket trainer is fancied to score with the promising Adelasia (2.45) and the maiden Legend’s Gate (5.05), who has the benefit of a recent all-weather outing.

Yorkshire jockey Phil Makin comes in for the ride on the Appleby runners.

As for O’Meara, he will have close eyes on Thirsk from Newmarket and is likely to be rewarded with wins from the in-form Signore Piccolo (4.00) and the rejuvenated Birdman (5.40), who is selected to defy his steep ratings rise after winning his last two starts.

Newmarket today: 2.00 Knight Owl, 2.30 Watchable (NAP), 3.05 Telescope, 3.45 Estidhkaar, 4.20 Twilight Son, 4.55 Best Of Times, 5.30 Flashy Memories.

Thirsk today: 2.10 Mr Lupton, 2.45 Adelasia, 3.20 Akeed Champion, 4.00 Signore Piccolo, 4.35 Off Art, 5.05 Legend’s Gate, 5.40 Birdman.

Today’s other meetings: Doncaster, Goodwood, Hexham and Uttoxeter.