There’s a couple of interesting runners at Haydock on Friday evening with Kit Marlowe taken to make a winning reappearance in the Best Odds Guaranteed 188Bet Handicap (8.35).

The three-year-old was kept busy during his debut season, and despite only getting his head in front once in eight attempts, there’s some decent form in the book and a mark of 83 looks exploitable.

Gelded over the winter, there shouldn’t be any fitness worries first time out given the way Mark Johnston’s runners are campaigned and this looks winnable despite the presence of a few big yards.

Finally, in the Play Roulette At 118Bet Casino Handicap (9.10), Balestra can extend his unbeaten record since moving to Tim Easterby.

A Bath maiden winner last year for Charlie Hills, the bay gelding exploited a mark of 80 on his first start for Easterby at Catterick a fortnight ago, surging clear of four rivals.

Rather surprisingly Balestra has only been put up a pound for that fine effort and, despite facing a jump to a class four event here, should be capable of going in again for in-form Easterby, who is operating at a 25 per cent strike-rate over the past 14 days.

Saturday’s action comes thick and fast with Musselburgh’s Scottish Sprint Cup Handicap (2.30) the main betting heat, where Major Jumbo can record a second win this season.

Kevin Ryan’s four-year-old won a good York handicap to finish last season and was back in winning form on reappearance at Newmarket, beating the well-handicapped Move In Time who absolutely bolted in on his next start.

Major Jumbo was unlucky not to win at York’s Dante meeting and was leading at the two furlong pole a week later at the same venue.

A horse who thrives on his racing – form figures of 212123291 last season – a big pot like this looks within his range off a mark of 101 and Nicola Currie, who seems to get a good tune out of him, is back on board. Worth having onside at 8-1.

The concluding Edinburgh Gin’s Lucky Last Handicap (5.30) looks competitive but it could pay to side with Donnelly’s Rainbow at a big price.

Things haven’t gone right for this five-year-old since a debut win at Chepstow, but he shaped encouragingly on reappearance over this course and distance five weeks ago, hampered two out when looking to make a move and staying on into third.

He pulled away his chances of victory at Ayr last time out, weakening after those early exertions, but if he settles better here, Rebecca Bastiman’s inmate is a big player off 63 and Jason Hart rates a good booking.