EVERGREEN George Duffield can get favourite backers off to a winning start at Warwick today aboard Rowan Express (2.00).

Duffield, 55, currently the senior jockey in the Weighing Room, has been booked to partner the Mark Tompkins-trained filly in the opening Sutton Park Motors two-year-old Stakes.

Rowan Express is bound to be the subject of substantial support in the market following her encouraging track and trip debut nine days ago, when failing by a whisker to catch all-the-way winner Pertemps Magus.

The predominantly National Hunt trainer Richard Lee doesn't have too many runners on the Flat, but when he does it's normally worth taking note.

Lee runs Almaydan (2.35) in the near one-mile-seven-furlong Renault Vans Handicap, with the added bonus of Pat Eddery in the saddle.

Almaydan found the frame on all three starts last year, including an admirable second to Saluem at Catterick in November.

Eddery also has a decent chance in the later six-furlong Classified Stakes on Yarrow Bridge (4.20).

Richard Hannon's filly cracked the course record when shedding her maiden tag last September and nothing will relish the fast ground more than the progressive daughter of Selkirk.

Being drawn on the fence is a big advantage for juveniles, which could help Our Little Angel (2.55) to upset some more fancied rivals in the five-furlong Claiming Stakes at Lingfield.

Bill Turner took his youngster all the way from Dorset to Musselburgh, only to finish a modest sixth, but that experience will at least stand her in good stead.

In the later mile-and-a-quarter Philip Hall Selling Stakes, Collard (4.05) is on a retrieval mission having failed to justify 11-10 favouritism on her latest start.

The four-year-old is by no means one of the leading lights of Mark Johnston's powerful yard, but she should still be able to land this lowly affair.

Trail-blazing Malaah (4.40) will be a hard horse to pass provided he bursts out of the gate with his usual zest in the six-furlong betdirect.co.uk Handicap.

Malaah used to at his best when racing over a mile and it's a fair rule of thumb that horses need further as they get older. There are always exceptions to the rule and the flying grey six-year-old appears to fit into that category.

Chepstow stage the day's sole jump meeting, and the undoubted highlight is the well-contested Bracey's Hunters' Chase, in which hardly any of the 17-strong field can be readily dismissed, not least the in-form Dat My Horse (3.55).

Dat My Horse has won his last two starts between the flags and far more significantly looked as if he would have taken a far stronger event at the Aintree Festival 12 months ago had he not tipped up at the third fence from home when holding a commanding lead.

In the Showcase Handicap Hurdle top-weight Carandrew might be worth opposing with La Landiere (4.30).

La Landiere has tumbled 10lb down the weights as a result of some lacklustre performances. Maybe the soft ground has been hindering him over the winter, in which case today's much faster conditions are just the tonic the useful seven-year-old has been waiting for.

* One of Ripon's long-standing sponsors, Cocked Hat Farm Foods Ltd, returns to the track on April 18 to support the afternoon's most valuable race, The Cocked Hat Cock O' The North Handicap Stakes.

The one-mile contest for three-year-olds draws attention to the Northern Flat Jockeys' Championship, 'The Cock O' The North'.

Kevin Darley was again the northern champion last year, with 158 winners during the 2001 Turf season, to finish runner-up to Keiren Fallon in the overall British Flat Jockeys' Championship.

The Copt Hewick Handicap Stakes over the extended mile and a half is also featured on Thursday, while the meeting kicks off at 1.55 with The Sharow Maiden Stakes for two-year-olds, supported by The European Breeders Fund