NORTH Yorkshire trainer Kevin Ryan, on the mark with Astaire in the Group 2 Abernant Stakes at Newmarket on Thursday, may not need to travel quite so far to have a host of winning chances today.

The Hambleton trainer could well make the journey to Newbury to saddle the highly-regarded Flaming Spear, but he is strongly represented at his local Thirsk course and can land a treble at the track’s opening meeting of 2015.

Comino, the mount of Fergal Lynch, can kick off the Ryan trio in the Yorkshire Outdoors Adventure Experiences Handicap.

The four-year-old seems to reserve his best performances for this venue. He has gained three of his four career wins at Thirsk, including two last year in August and September.

The seven furlongs he faces is an ideal trip and although Comino may need to produce a career-best performance to win, he is entitled to ample respect.

Kelinni, the mount of Amy Ryan, the trainer’s daughter, should go well in the featured Constant Security Services Handicap.

The seven-year-old may not be as good as he once was - he finished fourth in the Melbourne Cup in 2012 - but he retains a fair bit of ability and his latest fourth-placed effort at Musselburgh came after he met trouble in running. He is capable of stepping up on that display here.

Ryan has secured the services of smart apprentice Joe Doyle to ride Uptight in the Join The Racing UK Club over five furlongs.

Two wins from three starts as a juvenile was the sum total of Uptight’s campaign last season. He remains on a useful mark and, with Doyle able to reduce his weight below 8st, he looks likely to play a hand in the finish.

Kieren Fallon looks an interesting booking for nap selection Excilly in the Racing UK 1 Price 3 Devices Maiden Stakes.

Trainer Tom Dascombe held Excilly in high regard last season and although she was defeated in three maiden starts, she showed a useful level of ability. This looks a good opportunity for her to open her account.

At Newbury, it’s Guineas trials day and all eyes will be on Richard Hannon, who is strongly represented and who won both the Craven Stakes and the Nell Gwyn Stakes - both stepping stones to the Guineas - earlier in the week at Newmarket.

Hannon saddles Tiggy Wiggy in the Dubai Duty Free Stakes. She was an outstanding sprinting juvenile last season when her victories included the Lowther Stakes at York.

She now has to prove herself over seven furlongs. If she possesses the necessary stamina she will be very hard to beat.

Hannon complicates matters in the colt’s trial, the Aon Greenham Stakes by saddling both Ivawood and Estidkhaar. Both horses were high-class juveniles before coming up short on their final starts.

Marginal preference is for Estidhkaar, the mount of Paul Hanagan, who was found to have a physical problem when a beaten favourite in fourth behind Belardo in the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket last autumn. He is fancied to get his career back on track.


Selections

Thirsk today
2.10 Old Man Clegg, 2.45 Excilly (NAP), 3.20 Comino, 3.55 Patentar, 4.30 Kelinni, 5.05 Uptight, 5.40 Teetotal, 6.15 Sartorial.

Newbury today
1.15 Mahsoob, 1.45 Arab Spring, 2.15 Tiggy Wiggy, 2.50 Estidkhaar, 3.25 Gabrial, 4.00 Trademark, 4.35 Keble, 5-10 What Sheaf.

Today's other meetings
Ayr, Bangor and Nottingham.

Tomorrow's meetings
Stratford and Wincanton.