MALTON-BORN Terry Dyson, a sharp shooter for the famous double-winning Tottenham Hotspur team of the 1960s, is aiming at a different target at Haydock this afternoon.

The former high-achieving footballer is one of the owners of MISS VAN GOGH, who bids to continue her winning sequence in the hands of Tony Hamilton in the Supalite Tiled Roof And Orangaries Fillies' Handicap, the final race on the card.

Trained at Musley Bank, Malton by Richard Fahey, Miss Van Gogh won her final start last season as a juvenile at Leicester. She made a successful reappearance at Hamilton in May, but caused interference to the runner-up in the closing stages and lost the race in the stewards' room.

Compensation was quickly gained at Ripon the following week when she won handsomely at Ripon and Dyson made the long journey from his London home to see the colours of Dyson Racing carried to victory.

Miss Van Gogh has been raised 8lb for that success. She is in a tougher grade today, but she is a filly on the upgrade and, provided the ground does not ride too fast (thunderstorms are forecast), she has a leading chance. She is napped to hit the back of the net.

GALILEO GOLD makes plenty of appeal in the TurfX Glass Novice Stakes.

Trained at Newmarket by Hugo Palmer, the two-year-old showed plenty of promise when second to the smart Age Of Eternity on his debut at York and has since gone one better at Salisbury. He now steps up to seven furlongs for the first time and promises to be hard to beat, despite the presence of five previous winners taking him on.

David O'Meara can win the Float Glass Industries Handicap with BIRDMAN for whom Ryan Moore looks a significant jockey booking.

Moore knows Birdman. Last time out he beat the North Yorkshire horse on Express Himself over this course and distance. Winner of his first three starts this season, Birdman can resume winning ways here.

Keith Dalgleish has major claims on the featured £25,000 Better With Bohle Handicap, courtesy of Tommy Doc, who was beaten only half a length into second place by Aloft in the Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot.

The three-year-old has, however, been subject to a serious hike in the weights and is now set to run off a lofty mark of 94, and with 9st 7lb to carry. Preference is for POLARISATION, narrowly beaten at Salisbury and Newmarket on his last two outings and trained by Mark Johnston, for whom Dalgleish rode lots of winners as a jockey.

Middleham-based Johnston could also make his mark at Newbury's evening meeting.

He brings MARTINQUAISE out quickly after her runaway Newmarket win, just a week ago, which is hardly surprising. The three-year-old is set to go up to a mark of 85 come Saturday and can race here in the Key4Life Handicap off a mark of 77, even carrying a 6lb penalty. North Yorkshire jockey Paul Mulrennan travels south to take the ride; he has enjoyed notable success for Johnston in recent weeks.

The trainer also has good prospects with the promising WHITMAN (7-40), the mount of James Doyle, while also worth noting is Sir Mark Prescott's MOLLY DOLLY (8-10), who is bidding for hat-trick honours. Successful at Kempton and Chester, the three-year-old is improving fast. Luke Morris rides.

Today's tips – Haydock: 2-20 Sandgate, 2-50 Fatherly Friend, 3-20 High Speed, 3-50 Galileo Gold, 4-20 Polarisation, 4-50 Birdman, 5-20 Miss Van Gogh (NAP). Newbury: 6-30 Costa Filey, 7-05 La Rioja, 7-40 Whitman, 8-10 Molly Dolly, 8-40 Nigel, 9-10 Martinquaise