VIEWFORTH, who had anything but a clear sight of exactly what was occurring at Ayr on Monday, bids to put the record straight in Carlisle's Kingmoor Park Handicap.

Punters lumped on Viewforth at the Scottish track forcing him down to 7-2 favouritism, however jockey Nicky Mackay rode a clueless sort of race, getting himself and his partner hopelessly out of contention in behind a wall of horses.

Seeing less daylight than a worm down a disused mineshaft, Viewforth eventually trailed home in eighth position, needless to say still full of running. The lack of energy expended by the selection has not gone unnoticed by trainer Jim Goldie, who has wasted no time at all in swiftly whipping out Viewforth (3.15) after that wasted outing.

Goldie has also taken the opportunity to replace Mackay with the far more reliable Seb Sanders, a rider with immense strength in the saddle should strongarm tactics be required in the closing stages of the five-furlong dash.

David Nicholls goes in mob-handed for the seven-furlong Ken Hope Handicap making things tricky for die-hard followers of the yard.

Both Border Artist and Time To Remember are capable of putting on a bold show, although the one I prefer is Locombe Hill (3.45). Remarkably Locombe Hill has actually won over a mile-and-a-half in the past, nonetheless he appears reasonably effective at shorter trips having prevailed over eight furlongs at Doncaster on his final start in 2003.

Any further overnight rain should enhance his chances, together with the mountain-like climb to the finishing line, which normally scuppers the prospects of any contender either short on the stamina stakes, or bereft in the bravery department.

Once fillies such as Pontefract raider Sand And Stars (7.10) start to improve, it normally pays to stick with them.

Philip Robinson rode his fellow jockeys to sleep with a brilliant front-running effort when the in-form combo hacked up at Ripon 11 days ago. Despite the fact she's now got to shoulder a 6lb penalty for that success, I don't think it will be sufficient to stop her completing a double in the mile-and-a-half feature.

Such was the decisiveness of Hula Ballew's (8.10) victory over track and trip last week it may prove folly to oppose the Michael Dods' trained four-year-old in the Weatherbys Injured Jockey Fund Handicap.

* JANUS (Colin Woods) clobbered the bookies once again at Hamilton yesterday with 6-1 winning nap selection, Thornaby Green.

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