NO POPPY, without a win to her name since scoring at York in October 2012, can end her barren spell at Beverley this afternoon.

Trained by Tim Easterby, this seven-times winner will have the assistance of the in-form Paul Mulrennan in the £10,000 Race Horse Trader 'Commission Free' Handicap.

Having gone all last season without a single success, No Poppy has slipped to a very favourable handicap mark and showed signs of returning to form at Carlisle last time out when a close-up fourth to lady Artiste.

No Poppy runs off a mark of 76 today which is 12lb lower than when she gained her last win on Knavesmire. Even allowing for the fact that the six-year-old may not be quite as effective now as she was then, she should make a bold show especially if the ground remains on the easy side of good which are perfect conditions for her.

Easterby, pictured, can also win the Promote Your Horse Pre-Auction At racehorsetrader.com Handicap with Chivers, the mount of Tony Hamilton.

Lightly-raced, the Great Habton three-year-old shaped well on his re-appearance to finish second to That Be Grand at Redcar. He should have benefited from that outing and can step up here over a slightly shorter distance.

Norton trainer Neville Bycroft had two winners at the latest Beverley meeting and it would be no surprise to see him follow up with nap selection Adiator in the Follow Us On Twitter @RaceHorseTrader Handicap.

Adam Carter's mount won well at Newcastle three weeks ago and, from a favourable draw, may be able to follow up off his revised mark, probably at the main expense of last Friday's Catterick winner, Sir Geoffrey.

Also worth noting at Beverley are Incomparable (3.20), a decent third at Hamilton recently, and Thankyou Very Much (4.20), who chased home Maybeme on this course late last month.

At Haydock, Lady Cecil is fancied to complete a first-and-last-race double with Button Down and Sea Meets Sky. Both will be partnered by Richard Hughes.

Button Dawn, who runs in the Jessie J here 8th August Maiden Stakes, ran a race full of promise on her turf debut at Salisbury on her re-appearance four weeks ago. It would scarcely be a surprise to see her go one better.

Sea Meets Sky has also had only one outing this season - and three races in her life - and her latest runner-up effort behind Cossetted at Doncaster stamped her as a filly to keep on the right side in the coming weeks and months. The step up to a mile and a half in the 80's Music Night Here 21st June Handicap looks the sort of race in which Sea Meets Sky can make a bold assault.

Tigrilla, trained by Roger Varian, ran a fine first race to finish second at Leicester over five furlongs. The step up to six furlongs should be perfect for Roger Varian's juvenile in the Irish Stallion Farms Maiden Fillies' Stakes.

Ryan Moore, rider of Tigrilla, can also win the Racing UK Anywhere Available Now Handicap on Vent de Force.

A comfortable Sandown winner three weeks ago, Hughie Morrison's three-year-old is fancied to cope with a 9lb rise and follow up for Moore, who has been installed the favourite to be top jockey at Royal Ascot's five-day extravaganza next week.
 

Selections

Beverley today

2.20 Tagtale, 2.50 Adiator (NAP), 3.20 Incomparable, 3.50 No Poppy, 4.20 Thankyou Very Much, 4.50 Alluring Star, 5.20 Laftah, 5.55 Chivers.

Haydock today

2.10 Button Down, 2.40 Tigrilla, 3.10 Mutawathea, 3.40 Chosen Character, 4.10 Vent de Force, 4.40 Sea Meets Sky.

Today's other meetings

Hamilton, Kempton and Yarmouth.

Tomorrow's meetings

Haydock, Newbury, Nottingham, Uttoxeter and Yarmouth.