STICK with Patrick Haslam and his promising two-year-old Strathtay (3.10) in the six-furlong Ben Raceday Maiden Auction Fillies' Stakes at Hamilton this afternoon.

Precisely 12 months ago Haslam picked up the self-same race with Kinnaird, who went on to greater glory by scooping the prestigious Group 2 Park Hill Stakes at Doncaster's St Leger meeting.

It would be a minor miracle if Strathtay turns out to be that good, however, based on her encouraging Ripon debut, where she finished third to Mizz Tee and Hanseatic League, Patrick's filly should have sufficient speed to get off the mark at only the second time of asking.

In the following Hamilton Park Handicap, Haslam's fellow Middleham handler, Karl Burke, has a fine chance of capturing the nine-furlong Hamilton Park Handicap with Takes Tutu (3.40).

Burke's strapping five-year-old, who has muscles in all of the right places, shaped as if his turn was rapidly approaching by finishing runner-up at Musselburgh's weekend fixture.

In the past, Takes Tutu has performed with credit at the likes of Goodwood and Haydock, which are both Grade 1 tracks. Today's task represents a far cry from that sort of heady level and therefore he seems sure to appreciate this drop in class.

Some pretty smart cookies line up for Haydock's Listed John of Gaunt Stakes, none more so than Suggestive (3.20), a previous course scorer over six furlongs.

In a race that is quite likely to become a tactical affair, Suggestive, who loves to come from off the pace, is one of the few in the field not likely to be inconvenienced should the jockeys decide to crawl over the first couple of furlongs.

By far and away the longest Flat race of the day takes place at Chepstow, where the runners will need stamina in abundance to keep galloping throughout the marathon two-mile-and-two-furlong Weatherbys Insurance Handicap.

In such cases it often pays to stick with proven track form and seeing as Moonshine Beach (4.30) is one of only two horses in the line-up to boast a course-and-distance win, he's the one to carry my each-way money.

Sandown's evening meeting features the seven-furlong, £30,000 Listed Surrey Stakes, at the heart of the action.

None of the five classy contestants can be dismissed with confidence, but Pastoral Pursuits (7.20) just gets the vote.

He was an extremely progressive juvenile in 2003, reeling off a fabulous three-timer, cumulating in a silky-smooth triumph when simply storming away with the Group 3 Sirenia Stakes at Kempton.

Hughie Morrison's colt has reportedly been sparkling on the home gallops and this race might set him up for a tilt at Royal Ascot.

* Aidan O'Brien's long-time Vodafone Derby favourite Yeats will not run in Saturday's blue riband due to a muscle problem. The son of Sadler's Wells had been as low as 9-4 in the run-up to the Classic