Thirsk'S 2004 season gets underway this afternoon with a typically competitive six-race card for punters to try and unravel.

In particular, the Carpenters Arms Handicap is a real teaser seeing as the maximum allowed field of 18 runners line up for the one-mile event.

A handful of the contestants are trained within hailing distance of the track, including Sutton Bank-based Creskeld (3.35), who didn't perform as expected when napped by this column at Newcastle last time out.

Quite simply Creskeld must have had an "off" day at the Tyneside venue because normally he's a pretty reliable character. Still, most of us have been guilty of similar misdemeanours from time and to time, and it's probably best to totally ignore that rare below-par effort.

On the pick of his form over the past 12 months, Creskeld is fully entitled to be in the shake up, in fact considering his all-weather rating of 87 is 15lb higher than his turf mark, some would say Bryan Smart's gelding is absolutely chucked in at the weights.

Fast-improving sprinter Magic Blade (5.10) is likely to be all the rage in the closing Hambleton Classified Stakes.

Magic Glade produced a stunning burst of speed to cut down the opposition at Musselburgh last Sunday, a race that was significantly weaker then the one he takes part in today.

The Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise Rated Stakes at Newbury is arguably the strongest three-year-old handicap to be run so far this season.

Several unexposed sorts take their chances, but it might prove prudent to stick with recent form and side with Gatwick (2.45).

Even though Mick Channon's colt appeared in need of the outing, he managed to collect in workmanlike fashion on his reappearance at Doncaster's Lincoln fixture.

Sure to be plenty sharper for that somewhat surprising success, Gatwick is in with a great shout of notching back-to-back triumphs on his first two starts of the year.

Ayr's two-day Scottish Grand National meeting opens up with the James Barr Novices' Hurdle, in which previous course and distance scorer, Chivalry (2.20), should go well.

Howard Johnson's five-year-old has only been beaten once in three starts and with such a poor turn out for the £11,000 race there's every prospect Chivalry can improve on an already impressive record.

l Racing North ten-to-follow pick, Granston, landed a 9-2 winning nap for Janus (Colin Woods) at Ripon yesterday.

* Bonne De Fleur sprang a 22-1 surprise for Thirsk trainer Bryan Smart in the Ripon Silver Bowl Fillies' Stakes at the North Yorkshire track yesterday.

Fergal Lynch's mount put up a brave display to make all, displaying her liking for a battle when digging deep to repel the late charge of 6-4 favourite Petite Rose by half a length in the Listed contest.

''She's as tough as teak. I've never had anything like her,'' said Smart.