Middleham trainer Mark Johnston, who saddled his tenth winner of the month at Musselburgh yesterday, looks the man to follow at Pontefract this afternoon.

The handler is fancied to be on the mark with exciting prospect Nakheel in the totesport.com Silver Tankard Stakes over a mile and with Regal Connection in the toteplacepot Nursery over the same trip.

Nakheel, a medium sized but scopey son of Sadler's Wells, took the eye in the preliminaries on his debut at Hamilton and confirmed that he had the ability to match his looks when beating the more experienced Fire Two.

Although that form has taken a couple of knocks, the juvenile, who was very green when asked for his effort, could do no more than win in workmanlike fashion, leaving the impression that there was much better to come.

The colt looks the sort to hold his own in this much stronger company.

He is taken to get the better of Dream Fantasy and King's Head, who both have fair form to their names.

Johnston can get the afternoon off to a good start with Regal Connection, who showed admirable battling qualities to get off the mark when beating Opera Comica at Hamilton last time.

Although slightly worse off with that rival this time, the John Gosden runner isn't guaranteed to act as well in the headgear this time and he will have to settle better than he did at Hamilton to reverse these placings.

Regal Connection, who doesn't do anything very quickly, won't be inconvenienced by any further rain and the stiff uphill finish looks tailor-made for his galloping style of racing. He looks a fair bet on this nursery debut.

There looks to be plenty of pace in the totequadpot Handicap over five furlongs and things could be teed up once again for recent course and distance winner Golden Asha.

Neville Callaghan's filly is the type that the handicapper is going to have trouble pinning down.

Given that she is only 3lb higher than that latest victory, she is taken to go in again at the chief expense of Sir Nod and Reverence.

Progressive stayers have long been John Dunlop's forte and his Empangeni is fancied to atone for a recent Newcastle defeat in the toteexacta Bluff Cove Handicap over two and a quarter miles.

Following wins at Newbury, Newmarket and Catterick, the three-year-old was set plenty to do in a muddling event at Newcastle.

He did really well to get as close as he did to the winner and will be well suited by this longer trip.

Thorny Mandate has not been seen for two and a half months but was at the top of his game in the summer and is fancied to give a good account under Philip Robinson in the totepool Awaybet Handicap over a mile and a quarter.

At Windsor the Jamie Spencer-ridden My Only Sunshine, who is better than the bare form of his last few starts, is fancied to get off the mark for the season in the National Hunt Racing Returns To Windsor Handicap over six furlongs.

And, on a very trappy card Street Life, who hasn't been seen out since early June, is fancied to return to winning ways in the Prime Personnel Handicap over a mile and a quarter.

Best bet over the sticks at Plumpton looks to be Emma Lavelle's in-form Glacial Delight in the totepool Handicap Hurdle over the extended three miles and one furlong.

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