THE drinks will definitely be on Takes Tutu (3.40) if he can plunder the £100,000 Courage Best Stakes at Newbury today.

Mile-and-a-quarter handicaps of such immense value are few and far between ensuring a high-quality field. But trainer Mark Johnston has had his sights set on the race for a while and knows a thing or two about preparing one for the showpiece since he sent down Albuhera from Middleham to bag the readies 12 months ago.

Takes Tutu's credentials are there for all to see; he's as tough as old boots having been on the go all season winning at distances from seven to ten furlongs. The real strength of the selection is his ability to quicken when others are wilting and, if as last time out at Haydock Keith Dalgleish can get him to settle, Takes Tutu will do the rest by utilising his superb turn of foot.

John Gosden might easily be on the mark with Windermere (2.00) in the Fosters Autumn Cup, the opening event on the card.

Having romped to an all-the-way course and distance victory in mid-August, Windermere was then the subject of a hefty gamble at York's Ebor meeting in the Melrose Handicap. Sadly backers of Gosden's charge saw their money go down the pan as he folded tamely once headed at the two furlong pole. In mitigation there might have been a valid excuse for that dismal effort because he had only had a six-day break between races, a factor which is surely worth considering when giving Windermere the chance to atone for the unexpected defeat.

Trying to make head-nor-tail of the five furlong Group 3 Dubai International Airport World Trophy is no easy task. Several of the speedsters are in prime form, including Lynda Ramsden's Bishops Court who was a very cheeky winner at Doncaster's St Leger meeting. Smokin Beau, poised for a spell out in Dubai this winter, is another with serious claims.

Nick Littmoden hasn't had the five-year-old for very long, however he's wasted no time whatsoever striking with the five-year-old at Goodwood last week.

Smokin Beau (2.35) has shown a liking for track and trip in the past and he's the one I fancy to come out on top, although Bishops Court rates a huge danger.

There's an eight-race bonanza at Catterick where excuse the pun but Eiger (2.10) hasn't exactly got a mountain to climb in the opening EBF Maiden Stakes.

Eiger finished like a rocket on his debut at Ripon, failing by only a head to catch the Henry Candy's Dove Tree. John Quinn's colt basically lost out through greenness in the early stages when he got slightly outpaced. The experience will have done him good, so unless Alan Berry's Circuit Dancer' steps up on previous efforts, victory for Quinn's youngster seems assured.

Later on in proceedings Night Sight (3.10) is the one to keep an eye on in the Weatherbys Bank Handicap. The hardy gelding has now slipped back to the sort of mark off which he's fully capable of making a welcome return to the winners' enclosure.

Die-hard punters hoping to top up their winnings at Wolverhampton's evening meeting might like to have an interest on Irish Distinction (7.30).

* JANUS steered readers in the right direction of yesterday's Ayr Silver Cup winner, John O'Groats, who obliged at a tasty 14-1.

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