AFTER a frustrating sequence of placed efforts, Henry Hall (3.45) has finally found the perfect opportunity to get his head back in front at Beverley this afternoon.

As a result of being far too consistent for his own good, the handicapper has never given Nigel Tinkler's gallant seven-year-old any sort of relief whatsoever and consequently he's been toiling away all year trying to concede lumps of lead in hotly-contested sprint handicaps.

Finally the boot is now on the other foot because Tinkler has found a five-furlong Conditions Stakes for Henry Hall, a race in which he is generally speaking extremely "well-in" at the weights.

A low draw is widely regarded as the kiss of death at Beverley, a factor certain to put plenty of punters off backing Henry Hall from stall three.

In this case however, I'm not so sure since the gelding often races too keenly for comfort and for once it might be better if he has to launch his challenge from well off the pace.

On the tipping front 2003 has already proved a cracking year for this column, but it could have been even better had not the 14-1 shot Creskeld (3.15) been badly hampered when making his challenge at York last time out.

Having sussed out Creskeld at a big starting price, the defeat was made significantly more galling because the cat is now out of the bag and he's likely to go off at far shorter odds for the Andy Jones Handicap.

Despite the somewhat painful manner of Creskeld's demise at York, it would be churlish to desert Creskeld just because of potentially less lucrative odds, especially as there can be no doubt that he is currently a supremely well-handicapped individual.

In the closing extended one-mile handicap, Libre (4.50) makes a rapid reappearance having finished a close-up fourth at Warwick on Saturday.

Frank Jordan's three-year-old previously sprung a 25-1 surprise when collecting at Bath and his trainer has opted to strike while the iron is still hot.

Both were rock-solid performances on ground that I believe was far too fast for comfort as far as Libre was concerned.

To my way of thinking there is still room for considerable progress and take Jordan's Midlands raider to defy top-weight under the guidance of one of the apprentice finds of the season, Pat Mathers.

Brian Meehan, going great guns having notched an across-the-card double at Kempton and Chepstow yesterday, should keep up the momentum via Ann Summers Two (5.00) in the six-furlong Nursery at Newmarket.

Admittedly Ann Summers Two has been horribly expensive to follow having promised plenty by finishing fourth in the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot in June. None the less she's rarely been out of the frame and sooner or later her turn is bound to come.

l Ascot's Millennium and Copthorne Hotels Diadem Stakes on Saturday has attracted 28 acceptors at yesterday's confirmation stage.

The six-furlong Group Two contest looks to be a competitive affair, with Henry Candy's Airwave likely to be well fancied after her second in the Stanley Leisure Sprint Cup at Haydock.

A daughter of Air Express she has shown top form all season, and boasts placings in the Darley July Cup and the Golden Jubilee Stakes to her credit.

On the Sprint Cup running, she holds Fayr Jag, who finished two places behind her in fifth.

Tim Easterby's charge has since won a Group Three in Ireland, beating the useful John Oxx-trained Hanabad by a neck.

The four-year-old looks to be improving and would have a leading chance but faces no easy task with opposition set to include Acclamation, The Tatling, Bonus and Ratio.

l The Irish Turf Club have no plans to follow Britain by restricting the use of mobile phones to jockeys during race meetings.

Although revealing that discussions on the subject that has caused such controversy in Britain had taken place, the Turf Club believe they have no cause to take action.

* Seabiscuit St Leger winning jockey Jamie Spencer rattled off a 408-1 treble courtesy of Solar Power, Thurlestone Rock and Reveillez at Kempton.

Solar Power made a pleasing debut in division one of the seven furlong Norman Hill Memorial Maiden Fillies' Stakes. Leading over a furlong out, she scored by three quarters of a length from Garryurra.

The stable's Soviet Song is due to have a sharpening spin at Newmarket today in preparation for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on Saturday, where she will be partnered by Spencer.

Thurlestone Rock, trained by Brian Meehan, sprang a 25-1 shock in the Renault Master Van Stakes, scraping home by a neck at the end of six furlongs from Romany Nights, the 5-1 favourite.

The gelding is named after a rock off the south Devon coast and ran at Newbury on Saturday over seven furlongs getting stuck in the pack to finish 10th.

Spencer wrapped up his trio with an all-the-way win on Fanshawe's Reveillez, the 11-8 favourite, who beat Wait for the Will by three and a half lengths