Sam King is back with two selections at Newmarket on Friday.

This time of year is exciting for flat enthusiasts, with regally-bred two-year-olds on display and some top-class juvenile action.

It's not often that a gelded four-year-old gets my blood pumping on a Friday afternoon, but that's certainly the case today as By The Book, a horse I've always had in the highest regard, makes his return from a lengthy break.

There's no doubt that this run will tell you 'where we're at with him' this afternoon, and to be honest, I'm hopeful that it will tell us he's on his way to bigger and better things.

A commanding winner on his debut over seven furlongs at Haydock, By The Book subsequently wasn't seen until December last year at Chelmsford, where he made a striking comeback when upped to ten furlongs under Dougie Costello.

There's no doubt that there are plenty of question marks over a horse rated 95, who is stepping into Listed company back on the turf following 295 days off, but he looks to have a touch of star quality about him and the form of his Chelmsford success isn't exactly weak, given the now 103-rated Old Newton Cup winner Plage De Havre was well behind in second and Jolly Jack Tar (95) was back in third.

An imposing son of Frankel, it will be interesting to see just how much more By The Book has to offer but I suspect he's capable of producing figures good enough to land this prize on his reappearance before hopefully going onto greater assignments.

1pt Win - By The Book

Odds - 5/2

William Buick is often seen to best effect steering top-class horses of Charlie Appleby's to success on the Rowley Mile, but he might just sit on something with similar star quality in the colours of Shadwell this afternoon.

Touleen has looked nothing short of exceptional in her two outings to date, making an impressive winning debut at Newbury before readily brushing aside the reopposing Zanthos, who herself is held in very high regard and made a stylish winning start on the July Course, at Leicester seventeen days ago.

A beautiful moving daughter of Lope De Vega, Owen Burrows' filly clocked some sharp late sectionals without being asked for maximum at Leicester last time out, shaping as though she could take top rank amongst the juvenile fillies' this autumn.

The reopposing Zanthos doesn't seem to have any real reason to turn to the form around, while the likes of Moon Target, who is fitted with first-time cheekpieces here, and Awaken both need to bounce back from a very lacklustre efforts.

It might end up that this afternoon's Rockfel Stakes doesn't take much winning and I wouldn't be at all shocked if Touleen made short work of these rivals.

Neither of the selections are from left field this afternoon at Newmarket but we might just see two very useful performers.

1pt Win – Touleen

Odds – 11/8