Dave Morris, who has high hopes of winning the richly-endowed Northumberland Plate for the second successive year on Saturday, can start his Newcastle weekend in style with Missile Toe tomorrow evening.

Twelve months ago, Missile Toe won the Bollinger Champagne Series Amateur Riders Handicap for Morris before the Newmarket trainer went on to gain his biggest-ever success the following day.

It is not beyond the realms of possibility that a total repeat could be achieved. Bay Of Islands is the ante-post for Saturday's showpiece, while Missile Toe has equally strong claims.

The eight-year-old scored at Windsor on his reappearance and only just failed to follow-up a fortnight ago at Newbury, where he was beaten in a triple photo-finish by Lord Eurolink and Ride The Tiger.

Paul Morris, son of the trainer, won this race on Missile Toe last year and an encore is now anticipated with the Nap vote going their way.

The feature race on Newcastle's evening programme is the £30,000 Gosforth Park Cup, sponsored by Northern Rock.

Henry Hall, last year's winner, is again in the line-up, and looks sure to run a big race, along with John Wainwright's hat-trick seeking Beyond The Clouds and the Kieren Fallon-ridden Indian Spark, but my vote goes to Absent Friends at the foot of the handicap.

John Balding's sprinter has been in cracking form lately, winning at Redcar and suffering a luckless defeat at Thirsk before a fine effort to finish third to Eastern Trumpeter at York on his latest start.

With crack apprentice Jamie Mackay reducing his light weight by a further 3lb, Absent Friends looks sure to make a bold bid.

In the Bellway Homes Handicap, a note should be made of Tony Tie. Jim Goldie's gelding has dropped to a fair mark in the ratings and left the impression that his winning turn was near on his latest start on Knavesmire, where he was fourth to Pension Fund.

The principal afternoon action is at Newmarket, where Aegean Dream looks the one to be on in the io Group Rated Handicap.

Richard Hannon's filly has run only twice this season and has yet to strike top form, but she remains a useful performer at her best at it would be unwise to overlook her.

Headland looks sure to make a strong assault in the Half Moon Handicap over five furlongs.

The James Eustace-trained sprinter failed by only a head to get the better of Armagnac at Ripon last week when the pair finished clear of the remainder. A reproduction of that form should make Headland hard to beat, with Richard Hughes taking over the mount.

Tomorrow's tips:

Newmarket

2.00 - Trusted Mole

2.30 - Folie de Grandeur

3.00 - Headland

3.30 - Aegean Dream

4.00 - Vita Spericolata

4.30 - Forest Heath

Newcastle

6.30 - Missile Toe (Nap)

7.00 - Absent Friends

7.30 - Villa Del Sol

8.00 - Maritsa

8.30 - Tony Tie

9.00 - Mingling

Updated: 12:51 Thursday, June 28, 2001