LUCKLESS Stretton (5.30) deserves a change of fortune in the mile-and-a-quarter Littlewoods Bet Direct Handicap at Chester.

Stretton's story of near-misses stretches back a full 18 months to the occasion of his last victory, achieved over track and trip in May 2002. Since then he's either been marginally too high in the weights, not had the run of the race, or simply failed to fire when expected to do better.

But the old adage of "horses for courses" is particularly relevant at today's venue and given that's he's unlikely to find trouble from his favourable low draw, now could be the time to pounce from a punting point of view.

Stretton's Middleham-based trainer, James Bethell, also has a fair opportunity of landing the earlier Hallows Associates Nursery with Granston (2.40).

Bethell's grey colt has been knocking on the door all year, most notably at Thirsk just 16 days ago when only just beaten in a thrilling nip-and-tuck photo finish.

A large horse-blanket would have covered the first four past the post that day and while in such encouraging form, plus with easy ground conditions to suit, Granston is fancied to grab his first all-important success.

Richard Fahey's sprinter Kings College Boy (4.55) has been cutting the mustard of late with several excellent efforts, including a well-deserved win at Nottingham in August.

Kings College Boy is renowned for being something of a tricky customer, not always finding as much as his jockey would like once asked for maximum thrust inside the final furlong.

Curiously Chester seems to suit such individuals and he must therefore have a fighting chance in a competitive-looking heat for the £6,000 Kemira Growhow Handicap.

Joanna Fielden's Team-Mate (2.30) has shown a liking for Goodwood's undulating nature in seasons gone by, so it wouldn't be out of order to anticipate a big show from the gelding in the Macphie Foodservice Classified Stakes.

Team-Mate, who beat none other than the hugely-progressive Sadler's Wells colt, The Persuader, at Leicester in August, was by no means disgraced when fifth in a white-hot race run in a very fast time at Kempton last time out.

High numbers are generally favoured on the straight track putting the well-drawn Redwood Star in with a major shout from stall 20 in the five-furlong dash for the Crosse & Blackwell Stakes.

Pat Gilligan's horses are on a roll and it appears as if his filly is about to get in on the act judged by her most recent run over track and trip when nailed right on the wire by Mystery Pips.

Lydia Pearce has been trailing all over the UK trying to get a race out of Olivia Rose (5.15).

The four-year-old last ran in Scotland at Musselburgh, where she nearly made a mockery of the weights in an identical event by narrowly losing out to a much higher rated horse, The Prince.

Using that much-improved performance as a yardstick, Olivia Rose may well take some pegging back in the closing Premier Foods Claiming Stakes.

* Russian Rhythm was the best-backed horse in Coral's Queen Elizabeth II Stakes betting yesterday, and the Sir Michael Stoute-trained filly is now 11-4 from 100-30 joint-second favourite for the Ascot showpiece.

A triple Group One winner this season, including the Sagitta 1000 Guineas, Russian Rhythm will be ridden on Saturday by her regular jockey Kieren Fallon, who has nominated the supplemented Falbrav as a big danger.

As well as landing the Group One Prix d'Ispahan, Coral-Eclipse and Juddmonte International Stakes this season, Falbrav has won the inaugural £250,000 British Horseracing Board Middle Distance Championship.