ALTHOUGH apprentices generally find the going tough once they lose their right to claim a weight allowance against the senior riders, David Allan is one of the few up-and-coming stars-of-the-saddle to have bucked the trend by continuing to find his way into the winners' enclosure.

Allan, who became a fully-fledged jockey midway through this season, gets plenty of support from a variety of trainers.

They include Eric Alston, who puts him up on Flying Edge (2.50), a leading contender for the Zongalero Banded Stakes at Wolverhampton.

Eric, a small dapper man, is a modest fellow, not given to blowing his own trumpet, but with the right tackle he gets the job done and Flying Edge has done enough on turf to suggest victory is just round the corner now he's been switched to the sand.

Despite Flying Edge having previously performed with credit over course and distance, a note of caution must be introduced at this point since it was achieved on the old fibre-sand surface.

During the past couple of years the frailty of the fibre-sand material has been ruthlessly exposed by heavy rain and frost.

Both caused the abandonment of many fixtures and prompted the executive to invest in the new, far superior, and more durable polytrack.

Admittedly there's no guarantee that Flying Edge will adapt to the state-of-the-art surface, but should he succeed in transferring his overall level of form from grass to all-weather, then the gelding has as good a chance as any at this very lowly level.

Because such a motley crew turn out for the closing Civil Weddings at Dunstall Park Stakes, it might be worth taking a stab in the dark and backing the likely 25-1 outsider, Rescind (5.20).

It is true that Jedd O'Keeffe's four-year-old didn't do much in three starts on the flat in 2003, but the daughter of Revoque showed a glimmer of ability when trying her luck over jumps.

The improvement should stand her in good stead for today's extended nine-furlong contest.

Barathea Blue (3.40) is sure to be a popular choice with punters for the most valuable race of the day, the £10,000 ladbroke.com Handicap at Lingfield.

The Peter Harris-trained three-year-old needed every inch of ten furlongs when scraping home by a half-length in his maiden at Nottingham in September.

It was plain for all to see that ideally the selection would be suited by a longer trip, and Harris has duly responded by stepping Barathea Blue up to a mile-and-a-half.

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