MANBOW, a popular performer at Wetherby, returns to his favourite course tomorrow with good prospect of bagging the feature race.

Trained at Middleham by Micky Hammond, whose horses are in good form, Manbow lines up for the £10,000 21st May Is Ladies Day Handicap Chase over an extended three miles.

Manbow has chalked up five wins in his career, and four of them have been achieved on this track. His latest visit, four weeks ago, saw him finish second to his stable-mate Dawn Ridge.

It is a while since Manbow last scored and he is now an 11-year-old, but with the Hammond string going well and with his old stalwart running on his cherished turf, hopes are high that Manbow can return to winning ways.

Nina Carberry, the Irish-based amateur, who has proved herself arguably the best-ever Lady rider, makes a rare visit to Wetherby.

Carberry, a Cheltenham Festival winning rider, teams-up with Heroes in the Home-Tek Lady Riders’ Handicap Hurdle.

While the chances of Heroes are not wholly obvious, the five-year-old, who is lightly-raced, is trained by Tim Vaughan, a handler who has made great strides in the last year. The fact that Vaughan has managed to get Carberry to take this mount is a hint worth taking.

Vaughan, who is based in Wales, has good prospects of a double with Jimbatai in the National Festival Circus Is Here Today Maiden Hurdle. The six-year-old is the top-rated runner in the race on handicap figures.

Deuteronomy gets the nap vote in the Betfair Handicap Chase.

John Wade’s gelding was narrowly beaten by Chigorin here in November. He again ran well at Carlisle on his only subsequent start, until the heavy ground took its toll and he faded into fifth place.

Put by for faster ground, Deuteronomy now has conditions to suit and is not to be underestimated under Brian Hughes.

At Brighton, recent winner Moonshine Creek (3.50) and Solo River (4.25) are worth noting.

Solo River was narrowly beaten by Vince at Lingfield on his latest start and would not need to improve much to go one better in this ten-furlong handicap.

The four-year-old can initiate a double for trainer Peter Makin, who also saddles Green Velvet (5.25), winner of his last two starts and on the upgrade.

Racing selections

Wetherby (tomorrow) 2.20 Jimbatai, 2.50 Deuteronomy (NAP), 3.25 Heroes, 4.00 Manbow, 4.35 Moon Melody, 5.05 Santarctique, 5.35 The Kealshore Kid.

Brighton (tomorrow) 2.10 Flapjack, 2.40 Convince, 3.15 El Dececy, 3.50 Moonshine Creek, 4.25 Solo River, 4.55 Ryedale Ovation, 5.25 Green Velvet.

Tomorrow’s other meeting: Ludlow.

Today’s meetings: Haydock, Leicester, Market Rasen, Ripon, Sandown and Wolverhampton.