David Barron, fresh from another successful stint on the all-weather, can be on the mark on Turf with Carrie Pooter in the Nick-Wilmot-Smith Memorial Handicap over six furlongs at Ripon this afternoon.

The daughter of Tragic Role hasn't had much racing in recent times but shaped up well as on her second start of this year finishing a close fourth in a competitive handicap at Wolverhampton.

Those two recent runs should have put her spot on for this race and this good ground is unlikely to be a problem to her.

And, just as importantly, the results in maximum fields of sprinters last year seemed to favour those who were drawn high so she looks to be very well berthed in stall 23.

Mary Reveley's Double Blade takes a bit of knowing but he's got fair claims should things go his way in the Screenco Handicap over a mile and a half.

A winner at Wetherby over hurdles on good ground in November, he hasn't been disgraced on Polytrack on his most recent outings and he can go well in an ordinary race.

The seller over the same trip at 2.40 is another wide open event but a chance at big odds is taken with Nautical Star.

This one time fair performer (rated 94 at best) plummeted in the handicap last year but now resides on a lowly 38 mark for this return to Flat duty.

He didn't seem to appreciate soft ground over hurdles this winter but this better ground will suit and he's sure to go well in the hands of Keith Dalgleish from his high draw. And, as his small stable are in cracking form at present, he is well worth a decent each-way punt in what is a very modest contest.

At Ascot, the North could be on the mark with Bustling Rio in the Betfair.com Handicap Hurdle over two and a half miles.

Patrick Haslam's versatile six-year-old comes here in good form, won't mind the ground or the trip and looks sure to run well for Tony McCoy. Monnaie Forte hasn't won for some time but he has conditions to suit and he can give a good account in the Daily Telegraph Showcase Handicap Chase over the same trip.

James Adam's runner goes well fresh, has form over this course and distance and looks sure to run well for his promising conditional rider. At Ludlow, Ian Williams' In Question looks the answer to the two-and-a-half mile handicap chase at 4.00.

l What a start Paul Nicholls has made to Grand National week setting a personal best score of 112 on Monday and teaming up with Timmy Murphy to complete a treble with Montrayal, No Need For Alarm and the dead-heater Blue Dante at Uttoxeter yesterday.

Montayral, who carries the colours of the Million In Mind Partnership, had one or two sketchy jumps but was always in command and won the TalkSport Radio Novices' Chase with rather more in hand than the winning margin of eight lengths.

Nicholls said: ''He has won four novice chases now, there is a valuable novice chase at Sandown at the end of the season and there is a novice handicap at Ayr and he might go for one of those he then goes to the Doncaster Sales and you never know we might try and win a novice hurdle with him first.''

No Need For Alarm was on a hat-trick mission in the Jigsaw Multimedia Hurdle (Showcase Handicap) and she defied top weight in good style to complete the Nicholls-Murphy double.

Nicholls added: ''All credit to my assistant Richard Barber, he has done a great job getting the mare to settle.

''She will now run in the valuable National Hunt Auction Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham on April 17 she hasn't done bad for a mare which cost only 2,000gns has she?''