CATTERICK'S sharp bottom bend holds no fears for Tough Love, who can rail round corners like a greyhound when required.

Tim Easterby's consistent eight-year-old has been an admirable stable servant over the past few years, winning fives and finishing in the frame on 15 of his other 54 lifetime starts during a distinguished career.

Cynics will point to the fact Tough Love (7.05) has the worst draw of all in stall 11 of 11, however, he's a hold-up horse which means obtaining a prominent early position isn't a pre-requisite to success.

Rider David Allan will much more likely take a pull in the seven furlong Handicap, prior to hopefully producing the gelding with a winning surge once the winning post comes into view.

Unless any of the newcomers turn out to be flying machines, the opening five-furlong two-year-old race looks like a straight match between Tan Bonita and Myriola (6.05) .

Tan Bonita made a respectable debut when third at Windsor, however the speed Myriola showed from the gates when fifth on her Pontefract debut was an arguably even more eye-catching effort.

Myriola overcame a poor draw to help set the pace until fading close home on that occasion, but this evening's less demanding venue should play to her strengths and a pillar-to-post victory is a strong possibility.

Punters prepared to take miserly odds can invest in Court Of Appeal who is bound to go off red-hot favourite for the mile-and-a-half Claiming Stakes.

Court Of Appeal (6.35) is best in on the official figures and with Brian Ellison's team in cracking form, the evergreen ten-year-old seems poised to complete a well-deserved hat-trick.

Vice Admiral (7.35) didn't cut much ice on his Newcastle comeback but still possesses more scope for improvement compared to the majority of his rivals in the two-mile Handicap.

Jockey Dale Gibson rides out regularly at Mick Easterby' yard, therefore he'll know exactly the type of tactics to adopt on the relatively unexposed four-year-old.

The 8.05 promises to be the most exciting contest on the card with several useful sprinters set to rip down one of the fastest five furlong courses in the country.

Although Raccoon romped to an easy win at Nottingham last week, he could find himself anchored by a 6lbs penalty and preference is for Ryedane (8.05), fancied to respond in kind to the fitting of first-time headgear.