TIM EASTERBY, successful at Thirsk last Saturday with his evergreen veteran sprinter Captain Dunne, has good prospects of significantly adding to his course tally when he returns his local track this evening.

The Great Habton trainer could well saddle a treble on the card with Upward Trend, Another Royal and Janaab.

Upward Trend is first up in the opening Project Management Scotland Ltd Handicap under Duran Fentiman. The gelding should be all the better for his comeback outing and, although he is set to carry top weight, he is running off the same mark as when finishing runner-up at Redcar on his penultimate outing last season.

Another Royal goes to post in the Dick Peacock Sprint Handicap and, in a wide-open race, is fancied to be involved in the shake-up.

David Allan’s mount shaped well on this course on his reappearance and should strip fitter this evening. The return from six furlongs to the minimum trip should not inconvenience him and he is entitled to go well from a decent draw.

Janaab has good prospects in the Racing UK Profits Returned To Racing Handicap following his good second to the well-handicapped Birdman at Doncaster a fortnight ago.

There is no Birdman in this race and Janaab is napped to go one better from a favourable inside draw in stall two.

Malton jockey Ian Brennan won the Cumberland Plate last season on Noble Alan and he will be reunited with Nicky Richards’ veteran performer in the GT Group Handicap.

If he is anything like ready for his seasonal debut, Noble Alan is capable of going well over a course and distance where he has won in the past.

Darlington trainer Michael Dods can clinch the Racing UK Anywhere Available Now Maiden Stakes with Lord Of The Rock, a most promising third on his only juvenile outing at Ayr last September.

At Ascot, Russian Realm is an interesting runner for David O’Meara in the Totescoop6 Victoria Cup.

This massively competitive handicap will take plenty of winning, but Russian Realm is not to be overlooked.

Previously with Sir Michael Stoute, he is a very capable horse on his day. He has been gelded since last season and O’Meara has been pleased with his preparation for this seasonal return.

Richard Hughes looks a useful booking for the horse in a race in which Richard Fahey is represented by Heavens Guest, former winner of a valuable contest on this course.

O’Meara and Fahey will also be represented in the Garrard Filles Handicap. Amazing Maria, a smart filly with Ed Dunlop a couple of seasons ago, is an interesting runner on her first outing for new handler O’Meara, while Fahey saddles Imshivalla and Simply Shining, who has won her last two starts.

The North Yorkshire trio, however, may be scuppered by John Gosden’s Solar Magic, a winner on this course last summer and a creditable second in a Listed race at Kempton last month.

In the Leo Bancroft Signature Haircare Handicap, Penhill merits close attention on his first outing for Luca Cumani.

Trained at Middleham last season by James Bethell, who placed him most effectively, Penhill still looks feasibly handicapped and it would come as no surprise to see him making a winning reappearance and earn himself a ticket to next month’s Royal Ascot meeting.

Ascot today: 2.00 Penhill, 2.35 Winter Thunder, 3.10 Solar Magic, 3.45 Russian Realm, 4.20 Paddy Power, 4.55 He’s My Boy.

Thirsk today: 5.40 Upward Trend, 6.10 Ortac Rock, 6.40 Another Royal, 7.10 Noble Alan, 7.40 Janaab (NAP), 8.10 Lord Of The Rock, 8.40 Sakhalin Star.

Today’s other meetings: Lingfield, Hexham, Haydock, Nottingham and Warwick.