LUCKLESS Avitta (4.25) deserves a change of fortune in today's most valuable race, the £15,000 South Yorkshire Mares' Only Handicap Hurdle at Doncaster.

Twice this season when holding every chance, Avitta has tossed away prizes she might well have won by tipping up in the closing stages of contests at Perth and Cheltenham.

And the tale of woe doesn't end there because last time out at Wetherby she was in complete command prior to flattening the second flight from home, thus handing the advantage to Alan Swinbank's classy performer Through The Rye.

Given that dicky jumping has so far deprived the selection of three potential victories, trainer Venetia Williams has doubtless subjected Avitta to numerous schooling sessions in the hope the five-year-old mare gets her act together.

If the two-mile affair was on the flat, there is no question Avitta would have too much pace for the opposition, however with eight flights of hurdles to negotiate backers will have to hold their breath until she has cleared all of the obstacles on the Town Moor.

Henry Daly is fancied to follow-up yesterday's Ludlow scorer, Green Tango, with Long Walk (3.50) in the Racecourse Sponsorship Novices' Chase.

The trail-blazing Long Walk looked as if he was going to be swamped on his most recent outing as the challengers queued up behind over the closing couple of furlongs. But any nagging fear about his resolution were quickly dispelled as the scopey gelding beat off all-comers to open his account over fences.

Newbury-bound Curtins Hill (3.40) did this column a whopping great 9-2 favour when carrying the nap vote with distinction at Sandown precisely a fortnight ago.

Waited with in rear, the Tom George-trained stayer produced a long and sustained effort over the final half-mile to hit the front after the second fence from home. Once in total control, Curtins Hill then opted to give his supporters one, last, heart-stopping moment, with a mother-and-father of a blunder at the final fence.

How jockey Jason Maguire didn't get fired out of the saddle heaven only knows, but from where I was watching it seemed as if he had super glue in his breeches.

A little bit of patience often goes a long way with a racehorse and Major Euro (4.15) showed the benefit of a waiting ride when grinding out a gritty success on February 19th.

Previously too headstrong for his own good, Richard Johnson managed to anchor Major Euro in rear for the first couple of miles, thereby saving much-needed energy for the latter stages.

The tactics proved to be spot-on as the gelding sluiced through the field to win in convincing fashion as the others wilted under pressure.

Richard, who took a crashing fall at Taunton yesterday is unlikely to be in action for a while, fortunately connections have been able to secure the services of the truly excellent, Robert "Chocolate" Thornton, to take his place.

l Jockeys' chief John Blake feels that Kieren Fallon's referral to Portman Square over the rider's controversial performance at Lingfield on Tuesday should have been handled differently.

Fallon was beaten a short head into second place after failing to ride Ballinger Ridge out to the line, allowing the odds-on favourite Rye to get up and land the spoils in the betdirect.co.uk Median Auction Maiden Stakes.

The matter was referred to Portman Square when it was found that Jockey Club security had informed the Lingfield stewards that they were concerned about irregular betting patterns, having been contacted by an exchange firm just before the off.

However, Blake, chief executive of the Jockeys Association, feels that both issues should have been dealt with separately.

''I would question the fact that he has been found in breach of Rule 156 (i) by the local stewards, for which there is a mandatory 21-day ban, but has been referred to Portman Square to be given his punishment,'' Blake said.

''A lot of people would put two and two together and get five because they see suspicious betting patterns and the fact that there is a riding offence, even though there is no evidence the two are linked.

''He has been found guilty of a riding offence and should have been punished accordingly. We could then appeal or leave it to run from the 11th day after the event which is March 13.

''I see no reason to press the pause button on the normal process of putting the penalty to him for his riding breach.

''The current situation may see a ban impact on the turf season, which is relevant, but I am more concerned with the justification for not dealing with the riding offence now."

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