Today's Racing Tips: In-form tipster Mark Milligan's best bets at Beverley and Salisbury on Wednesday

Salisbury, 15:00 - Back Regional Rock @ 3/14.00

There's a goodquality Wednesday card at Salisbury and I'm hoping we can kick things off in style by backing Regional Rock to win this sprint handicap.

Ralph Beckett's three-year-old was a winner on debut at Windsor last season and was then seen only once after, finishing second to one who went on to contest the Gimcrack at York.

It was then almost exactly a year before Regional Rock returned to the track and, though he was turned over at long odds-on, shaped as if retaining all his ability in finishing second at Doncaster.

However, it was his third on handicap debut at Windsor last time that makes him of particular interest here. The selection was the only one of the principals to make up any ground from off the pace, shaping really well in the circumstances.

Regional Rock remains unexposed and a forward step from that latest effort will make him tough to beat.

Notable winners from Mark in recent weeks

Pure Passion @ 9/2
Galen @ 4/1
Edward Sexton @ 7/2
Infraad @ 10/3
Free World @ 3/1
Archers Bay @ 11/4
Enceladus @ 11/4

Beverley, 15:15 - Back King Sharja @ 5/16.00

Beverley is my local track and it will be packed to the rafters on Wednesday as the course stages its annual Ladies Day.

The sun looks set to shine (at least until the solar eclipse later in the day) and hopefully the revellers will have an even better time of things if they back King Sharja to win this handicap for the second time.

King Sharja has a fine record on the Westwood (three course wins) and he'll be looking to take this race once more having landed it back in 2024. That victory came from a perch of 57, so Ruth Carr's charge looks well treated nowadays as he gets to race off 2lb lower than that mark.

King Sharja hasn't been quite at his peak on his last couple of starts, but this could well have been the target all along and it would be no surprise to see him bounce back to form.

Stonehenge Stakes, Salisbury, 15:30 - Back Quest For Stars @ 5/23.50

Charlie Appleby and Godolphin are no strangers to success in this juvenile listed race having taken it twice previously and Quest For Stars should make a bold bid to land it once more for the Boys in Blue.

The son of Sea The Stars comes into the race unbeaten in two starts and, while he could hardly be classed as impressive in either, he has shown a really professional way of going about things.

The selection only scraped home by a short-head on debut at Doncaster, but was certainly clued up and knuckled down really well, while that same attitude was on display as he won by half a length last time out at Sandown.

Both those starts came over 7f, but Quest For Stars looks like he'll be ideally suited by stepping up to 1m here and the tenacity he's already displayed seems sure to stand him in good stead as he looks to take the next step up the ladder.

Salisbury, 17:00 - Back Fox Avatar @ 3/14.00

Billy Loughnane is beginning to pull a little way clear of Oisin Murphy in the Jockeys Championship, but I'm hopeful the reigning Champ can pull one back on him as he takes the ride on Fox Avatar in the Salisbury closer.

Roger Varian's five-year-old won twice on the all-weather last season, but he did break his maiden on turf, so I have no qualms about him returning to grass having also made both his starts this year on a synthetic surface.

Both of those runs came at Kempton, the first of which was when finishing sixth in a strong-looking handicap, where he also shaped as if the run would bring him on. With that under his belt, Fox Avatar was well fancied for a similar race last time, but he ended up trapped wide throughout and the effort is easy enough to put a line through.

There's every chance that the selection is well treated off his current mark of 83 and I'm expecting a bold show.

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