ADAM’S ALE, who carries the colours made famous by the brilliant Soba in the mid-1970s, promises to be the toast at Ripon this evening if he can manage to lift the featured sprint handicap.

Trained at Westow by Paul Midgley, the five-year-old has had two outings this season and looked to be coming to hand when third on this course three weeks ago.

Shirley Teasdale, pictured, rides in the silks of owner Muriel Hills on a horse she has got to know in the past. A bold bid is anticipated from a favourable draw near the stands rail in the Theakstons of Masham Paradise Ale Handicap.

Soul Brother, a brother of high-class sprinting stablemate Body And Soul, is napped to open his winning account in the SIS Delivering Content For Digital Platforms Maiden Stakes.

Tim Easterby’s three-year-old has finished runner-up in both his outings this term and was only narrowly denied by the highly-regarded G Force at Newcastle on his latest start. He can make it third time lucky.

Stanghow, who made an eye-catching debut at Thirsk last Saturday, should not be overlooked as he makes a quick return to action in the SIS Bringing Betting To Life Maiden Stakes.

Mel Brittain’s juvenile, a son of Monsieur Bond, lost an awful lot of ground at the start at Thirsk, where he was poorly drawn in any case, but he stayed on strongly late in the race to finish fifth to the useful-looking Captain Colby. He can do better here provided this race does not come too soon for him.

Lady Cecil sends a couple of runners to the meeting and both horses have leading claims if doing themselves justice on their first outings of the season.

Flow lines up in the most valuable contest on the card, the £12,000 SIS Top (Class Data Delivery Handicap.

Confined to just three outings last season, Flow rounded off with a narrow defeat by Running Deer at York in October. He is capable of winning races this year.

Cecil can also strike with Perfect Summer in the SIS At The Heart Of Racing Handicap. Runner-up at Haydock and Redcar on her last two outings last year, she remains a little unexposed.

At Chester, Hillstar gets the vote in the Boodles Diamond Ormonde Stakes.

Sir Michael Stoute’s smart colt was out of his depth in the Dubai World Cup at Meydan in March, but he is more than capable of proving his worth in this Group 3 contest on the strength of his solid efforts last season in the King George VI Diamond Stakes and the Juddmonte International Stakes.

Mark Johnston saddles Somewhat in the Betfair Dee Stakes.

Last season as a juvenile, Somewhat built up a useful profile, winning at Listed level and being placed in Group 2 races. Although he was slightly disappointing on his reappearance in the Feilden Stakes at Newmarket last month, Somewhat deserves another chance to fulfil the potential he showed last year. Joe Fanning rides.

Gabrial’s Star may be the answer to the concluding LDF Apprentice Handicap. Trained by Richard Fahey for Dr Marwan Koukash, Gabrial’s Star shaped well to finish fourth at Catterick on his latest start. He may not have to improve much to win.

Racing selections

Chester today
1.45 Abseil, 2.15 Somewhat, 2.45 Hillstar, 3.15 See The Sun, 3.50 Related, 4.25 Tohaveandtohold, 5.00 Gabrial’s Star.

Ripon today
5.55 Stanghow, 6.25 Elusive Band, 7.00 Adam’s Ale, 7.35 Flow, 8.10 Soul Brother (NAP), 8.40 Perfect Summer.

Today’s other meetings: Ascot, Lingfield, Market Rasen and Nottingham.

Tomorrow’s meetings: Ascot, Haydock, Hexham, Lingfield, Nottingham, Thirsk and Warwick.