David Nicholls, on the mark in Group 2 company in France with Moss Vale yesterday, can be on the mark much closer to home with Buachaill Dona in the Shepherd Homes Handicap over seven furlongs at Thirsk this evening.

The lightly raced and progressive three-year-old is the one runner in the eight-strong field that could turn out to be a fair bit better than his handicap mark of 79 would suggest.

He showed he had plenty of ability on his debut at Ripon on a sound surface last year when finishing second of 17 to Mark Johnston's In Full Cry, in a race that threw up a few winners.

And, although not seen again until April this year, he showed he retains plenty of ability when winning an ordinary maiden on easy ground over six furlongs at this course.

Obviously this will be a tougher assignment against much more experienced rivals but he is open to plenty of improvement and, given his pedigree and the way he has raced, the step up to seven furlongs should be in his favour.

The return to a sound surface should suit Richard Fahey's Sualda, who takes the eye back over his optimum trip of a mile and a half in the open-looking Weatherbys Bank Handicap.

Although he's not won for some time he ran several decent races on a sound surface last year, is on a fair mark and caught the eye with the manner in which he went through the race on his reappearance on unsuitably soft ground at York last time. Fahey has sound prospects of a winner with Conrad in the Herriot Happening Maiden over seven furlongs but the wide draw and the quick ground are the concerns and preference is for Barry Hills' First Approval.

The Jack Calvert Fillies Handicap over five furlongs is an open event that looks like being a truly run but, although drawn on the outside, the suggestion is Ron Harris' Hello Roberto.

This five-year-old, a triple banded all-weather winner earlier this year, ran really well having helped to force a fast pace at Brighton last time and, as long as she doesn't get involved in a battle for the lead, should be thereabouts.

At Leicester the best bet on the card looks to be Jamie Osborne's recent Hamilton winner Baizically in the Robert Pochin Ltd Plumbing & Heating Handicap over a mile and a quarter.

Following a promising first effort at Newbury, this progressive sort justified strong market support at Hamilton last time and that form was franked when the third (Sir Arthur) beat a subsequent winner at Ripon next time.

At Carlisle Peter Chapple-Hyam's recent Nottingham winner Diamond de Triano looks well worth supporting in the Viacom Outdoor Filles Handicap over the extended mile and one furlong.

And at Windsor's evening fixture Celtic Mill, who wasn't at his best at Newmarket on his reappearance, can bounce back to form by taking the Listed Independentage Partnership Assurance Stakes.