Daryl Carter's Tips: Tread lightly with two on Tuesday at Thirsk

• Two well-handicapped Tuesday Thirsk bets

• Weekend eye-catchers for the tracker

• Tread lightly on the flat at this time of year

• Rachael Blackmore Serial Winners Fund at £205K - Read more here

It was a case of a man against boys on Sunday as Tasman Bay landed the odds in the opening contest at Bath. He had some very promising Group and Listed form from a couple of years ago, but knee spurs had reportedly been to blame for his below-par performance in the 2021-22 season.

He made a winning return, having been off the track for 326 days and returning to the Sir Mark Todd yard, and it will be interesting to see what the handicapper does, having won off 96 here and been rated as high as 109. He could have a big pot in him this season if placed correctly.

Another making their overdue return to the track was Gary Moore's Champagne Piaff, who had been off a whopping 910 days. He ran a very eye-catching race to finish a solid third, and he won't go up for this effort, making a mark of 89 look very attractive for next time out - he won second time out in 2020 and 2021. He should be in your tracker.

The big eye-catcher in the sprint handicap was Baldomero, who was trying five furlongs for the first time and finished to good effect with his first run on turf since June 2023.

It would be harsh to say he brings the form down being a Maiden on turf in 11 attempts and exposed on the AW, particularly as this combination of five furlongs, soft ground, and a stiff finish has been tried only this once - it's certainly worth connections exploring again. He would be of interest under these conditions in the lesser company for which he is eligible.

Ice Max was a ready winner of the Class 3 1m handicap and now has a progressive profile. He is a more obvious one to keep on the side--away from Doncaster, that is. Still, that race should produce its fair share of next-time-out winners. The runner-up can return in trip, and the third and fourth look like they will need further in due course.

On to today...

The 18:30 at Southwell is a race worth keeping a close eye on. There's a handful that promised plenty last season, but predicting how they will fair the first time up off a break is impossible for me, at least. Chillhi, Incremental, and Iron Lion are all of interest in the future.

I want to keep it very light today and tomorrow, with Aintree just on the horizon--I want to get stuck in there. At this time of year, picking your spots is the way to go, as yesterday's results highlighted!

14:45 Thirsk - Back Dark Jedi @ BSP 0.5pt

It's a very tricky day today, and it's at the time of year when you need to gather the information, but it might pay to take a minimal chance with Dark Jedi.

The eight-year-old has fallen drastically in the handicap, and rightly so at his age, having been rated in the mid-high 90s for the best part of three years.

However, catching him fresh could be the answer, and it's not as blatant as having a one for a form figure next time his seasonal reappearance. In the last three years, he has recorded RPR ratings of 96, 89 and 94 when rated 99, 96 and 95.

He was a very creditable sixth when starting last year in the Musselburgh Queens Cup, but this time, his attentions are turned to a Class 5 for the first time in his career off of a much-reduced rating of 77. He goes without the cheek-pieces applied last term, ironically worn in all runs that brought his rating down from 90 to 77.

After 56 starts under rules, he is potentially on a firm decline, but on paper, this is his easiest task. He has handled today's conditions well, so he looks worth taking a small flyer with. However, his opening Sportsbook odds are defensive, and backing at BSP looks the way to go.

16:15 Thirsk - Back Illusionist @ 10/111.00 0.5pt

Giving a wide birth to sprint handicaps will be a theme you will see in this column this season unless something makes significant appeal. It's a contradiction to now ask you to back Illusionist - 10/111.00 on the Betfair Sportsbook - for the above stake, but he is a horse I have marked down for a specific set of conditions, and today he gets those.

He loves a strong gallop at five furlongs, and when given a cut in the ground to turn it into an even more intense stamina test, he is at his best. Today, he gets both of those for the first time since returning from 309 days off the track, when he finished a good third in the Ripon Silver Sprint off a rating of 90 in April last year.

Before that effort, he was four lengths sixth at Nottingham to Raasel in a Class 3 contest (the winner 23lb higher), tenth at Doncaster and a York handicap winner. Before October 2021, he recorded a third and fifth, with the latter in Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot.

Having now racked up his AW record to 0-10 by running over six and seven furlongs this winter, he returns to turf ten pounds lower than his last run, is off of a career-low rating of 73 and is down into a Class 4 contest over this trip for the first time.

With fitness on his side, he could get the race run to suit from a good high draw. His former regular rider, Sam James, is back in the saddle, so all looks set for a fair run and any 7/18.00 or bigger appeals.

Now Read: Aintree Grand National 2024: Daryl Carter's runner-by-runner guide and 1,2,3,4,5 prediction for the big one