Horse Racing Tips: Mark Milligan's backing a pair of sprinters at Kempton this evening

• Mark Milligan is sitting in for Daryl Carter

• He fancies one at 13/27.50

• He's also backing a promising filly at 8/19.00

17:30 Kempton - Back McCauley's Tavern @ 13/27.50 1pt

There are a couple of sprint handicaps that take my eye on the all-weather at Kempton this evening, and in my day job as a Timeform handicapper I'm in charge of the ratings for the sprinters, so I like to think I've got a good handle on what they're capable of.

The class 5 event at 17:30 features several who are in decent nick, with Wake Up Harry chief amongst them having won for fledgling trainer Brian Toomey at Wolverhampton last time, and this free-going sort shouldn't be inconvenienced by dropping back a furlong in trip here.

A three-pound rise for that recent success hardly looks severe, too, and he should give a good account, though his current price of 9/43.25 fully reflects his chance.

Big R is another towards the head of the market and he wasn't seen to best effect when caught wide from a tricky draw last time. I'm expecting better this time but am passing him over in favour of another who didn't get the rub of the green on his latest outing.

McCauley's Tavern started life in Ireland with Fozzy Stack and had an official rating of 86 at his peak before being purchased by shrewd connections for 62,000 guineas towards the end of 2022.

He took a while to finally get off the mark for his current owners but was coming down the handicap all the while and finally struck over this C&D in January off a mark of 60.

A couple of lesser runs followed before he looked right back to form last time.

He may only have finished third of five, but that 6f contest was run at a sedate pace by sprint standards and he did well to be beaten just over a length having been poorly placed towards the rear.

I'm expecting tonight's contest to unfold at a much brisker tempo, and if that's the case, McCauley's Tavern can prove himself still well treated off 63.

18:30 Kempton - Back Nariko @ 8/19.00 1pt

It's an ordinary enough card at Kempton this evening but the class 4 6f Sprint handicap for three-year-olds at 18:30 is an interesting race and looks sure to throw up plenty of horses that will remain of interest once the turf flat season kicks in.

The obvious starting point is Karl Burke's Media Shooter, who has built up a good record on synthetics and was a winner over this C&D two starts ago.

That form did take a couple of knocks after, though Media Shooter himself went on to run well last time when second to a promising Andrew Balding inmate again over tonight's C&D .

He looks sure to give another good account but the 15/82.88 he's currently priced at on the Sportsbook doesn't scream value.

One who does make plenty of appeal is Nariko, who looks worth siding with, particularly if the market vibes prove positive for one making a seasonal return.

I'm pretty sure when connections forked out 600,000 guineas for this filly at last year's breeze-up sales they would have had much loftier ambitions than winning class 4s on the all-weather, and it could be that the handicapper has a taken a big chance by allotting her an opening mark of just 75.

Trained by Kevin Ryan during her juvenile season, this daughter of Night Of Thunder got off the mark at the third attempt when successful over this C&D in September and it's interesting that the owners then transferred her to Hugo Palmer, for whom she debuts this evening.

The form of that contest could have worked out a bit better, but Nariko won it in fine style and both her pedigree and price tag suggest she could be a lot better than a mid-70s handicapper going forward.

Now read more previews in our Cheltenham Festival HUB.