Continent, who ran a cracking race over a trip short of his best in the Nunthorpe Stakes at York last month, can return to the Group 1 glory trail at Haydock tomorrow.

The gelding, trained near Thirsk by David Nicholls, is fancied to hit the jackpot in the £200,000 Stanley Leisure Sprint Cup.

In the saddle will be Keith Dalgleish, who partners Continent for the first time, and comes in for the mount because Darryll Holland, the horse's regular jockey, has been claimed to ride at Kempton.

Continent has already enjoyed one major victory this season, in the July Cup at Newmarket, where he beat his stablemate Bahamian Pirate (in the field again tomorrow) to give Nicholls a notable 1-2 in that Group 1 event.

On his latest outing, which was on Knavesmire, the five-year-old ran a blinder to finish fourth to Kyllachy over the minimum distance of five furlongs. Tomorrow's return to six furlongs will suit him ideally.

Malhub, second in the Nunthorpe, will not be short of supporters this time around, while Nayyir, stepping back to sprint distances, is also an interesting contestant.

But my Nap vote goes to Continent to gain his second major success of the season for David Nicholls, and provide young Dalgleish with his first Group 1 winner in Britain.

Convex, a winner during the summer at Catterick, can follow-up in the Stanley Racing Children In Need Nursery for Sir Michael Stoute, while Zibeline, who suffered an unlucky run in last month's Ebor Handicap, looks sure to go well in the Freephone Stanley Old Borough Showcase Handicap.

Thirsk brings its 2002 campaign to a close with the Tote Scoop 6 Hambleton Cup spearheading the meeting, and enjoying televised coverage on Channel 4.

This historic race,which has £12,000 in prize money, looks a good opportunity for Alberich, winner of his last two starts, to chalk up a notable hat-trick.

In the Black Cat Fireworks Fillies' Handicap, also televised on Channel 4, Freya's Dream, a winner on this course earlier in the season, can oblige for Tim Easterby.

Also worth noting at the North Yorkshire course are the promising And Toto Too (2.05) and the evergreen veteran Rymer's Rascal (3.10), a previous course-and-distance winner.

Darryll Holland misses the ride on Continent in the day's feature event at Haydock because of commitments to Asian Heights in the £45,000 Milcars September Stakes at Kempton.

This classy colt, winner of his only race this season, but now returning after a three-month lay-off, is trained by Geoff Wragg for owner John Pearce, who has a retainer on Holland's services.

Gala Sunday (2.15), who looks a a decent performer in the making, is also worthy of attention at Kempton, along with the in-form Moving Experience.

Both will be partnered by Richard Hughes, who is the closest pursuer in the jockeys' championship race to Kieren Fallon, who picked-up a 13-day ban in London yesterday under the totting-up procedure.

Tomorrow's tips:

Thirsk

1.30 Alberich, 2.05 And Toto Too, 2.35 North Landing, 3.10 Rymer's Rascal, 3.45 Freya's Dream, 4.15 Pretty Clear, 4.45 Lionel Andros.

Haydock

(televised races)

2.30 Convex, 3.00 Zibeline, 3.30 Continent (Nap).

Kempton

(televised races)

2.15 Gala Sunday, 2.50 Balakiref, 3.20 Asian Heights, 3.55 Moving Experience.

Updated: 12:52 Friday, September 06, 2002