Rudi's pet can resume winning ways in the £25,000 Northern Rock Gosforth Park Cup at Newcastle tonight. This keenly-contested sprint is the real puzzle in one of the most popular meetings in the north.

A case can be made for all the runners but there is no doubt that Rudi's Pet remains well handicapped.

And in a race like this, who better to have on your side than trainer David Nicholls and jockey Kieren Fallon? The Irish jockey is certainly the man to get the best out of Rudi's Pet, a talented but funny customer who has lost all chance at the start on his last two runs.

At York in May he dwelt and could only finish eighth of 14 to Night Flight, who is also in action here. And on his latest start at Haydock it was Night Flight again, with Rudi's Pet once more slowly away before doing really well to finish sixth, beaten just a couple of lengths by the winner.

But Rudi's Pet had earlier shown his capabilities at Thirsk, comfortably beating Atlantic Viking by two and a half lengths.

He can benefit from what is sure to be a blistering pace here to come late and land the spoils.

It could be easy to have nothing to show for this meeting but an empty wallet and a sore head but Arabis should surely end the night on the right note in the EBF Classified `90' Stakes.

Henry Cecil's filly was the supposed stable "second string" on her Newmarket debut but after being left behind at the start she finished with a powerful burst to beat Petal by three-quarters of a length.

Her three rivals have all shown enough to ensure Arabis will be a backable price but she should take care of them.

Peter Harris opted to bypass Royal Ascot with Primo Valentino and with some of the best juveniles now recovering from their exertions, his decision can pay dividends when the son of Primo Dominie runs in the EBF Superior Novice Stakes at Goodwood.

Held in high regard by his astute trainer, Primo Valentino lost his maiden tag in style at Leicester a fortnight ago and with that confidence-boosting success under his belt, ought to step up successfully.

Mention should also be made of Samwar, who runs in the Ash Handicap on the all-weather at Wolverhampton.