IN-FORM rider Robert Winston looks the jockey to follow at both Beverley and Thirsk today.

Winston's strength-in-the-saddle should prove a telling asset when it comes to partnering Spring Time Girl (4.30) for the Lord Nelson Banded Stakes at the first-named venue.

Brian Ellison's filly has tended to get herself too far in arrears on her latest two outings, prior to making eye-catching late headway throughout the final couple of furlongs.

It seems to my way of thinking that Spring Time Girl needs plenty of rousting along in order to keep in touch with the leaders early doors, tactics which Winston has executed many times to perfection in the past.

Having hopefully booted home the winner of the 4.30 at Beverley, Robert will need to get his skates on to take his place in the opener at Thirsk's evening meeting aboard My Lady Valentine (6.30) in the Great Yorkshire Fillies' Stakes.

Peter Winkworth's two-year-old needed every inch of the trip to collect over five furlongs in similar company on her most recent start, however the fact that My Lady Valentine now steps up an extra furlong should theoretically make things a whole lot more straightforward.

Winston's good day might well continue when he gets the leg up on Venetian King (8.00) in the William Rhodes Maiden Stakes.

Having concentrated on the National Hunt scene for the majority of his career, trainer Howard Johnson is currently branching out and building up quite a powerful Flat string to operate alongside his classy pack of hurdlers and chasers.

As far as Venetian King's prospects are concerned, he certainly appears to be a fairly useful recruit to the level judged on his third placing to John Dunlop's Munsef at Ripon eight days ago.

In the preceding Carlton Furniture Group Classified Stakes, River Of Babylon (7.30) is fancied to deny the hat-trick seeking top-weight, Stoic Leader, from Roger Fisher's yard.

Stoic Leader, who showed tremendous tenacity to score at Catterick on Saturday, has to shoulder a 6lb penalty for the battling success, additional weight that could allow River Of Babylon to gain the upper hand.

Michael Bell's Newmarket raider landed a welcome 7-2 winning nap selection for the column at Redcar, form which has already been significantly boosted by subsequent results.

One of Bell's former inmates, Shrink (9.00), tries to complete a quick-fire double for her new handler, Michael Dods, in the closing five-furlong Buck Inn Fillies' Handicap.

Even though Shrink had been out of action for nine months, Dods managed to get the mare fit enough to win at Newcastle on her first sortie for the stable.

The four-year-old was very good value for a cosy length-and-a-half victory at the Tyneside track, and seeing as she won with something up her sleeve has every chance of sending her supporters' home with money in their pockets.

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