Rabbit away at Haydock

Just about everything has dropped right for Tim Easterby's useful three-year-old filly, especially the unseasonably wet weather, making conditions underfoot absolutely perfect for the Great Habton-based raider.

Tim reckons White Rabbit could be Listed class, a comforting opinion since today's race, despite its high value, is still after all only a handicap.

She certainly did nothing wrong at York last time out, chasing home a more-than-useful colt, Serieux, trained by Barry Hills.

She now re-opposes Serieux on only marginally better terms and crucially the soft ground can help her reverse the form.

The meeting gets under way with the seriously competitive Be Friendly Handicap, named after that great sprinter owned by the 'commentators commentator' Sir Peter O'Sullivan.

Once again the soft surface is going to play a major role in the outcome and there's none better at handling hock-deep ground than Nigel Tinkler's Henry Hall, who caught the eye with a late flurry to snatch fourth spot in a hot sprint at York recently.

Although the well-backed 7-2 shot Donegal Shore (1.50) was well beaten on his comeback outing at Leicester in April, he might be worth forgiving that poor effort.

Lack of peak fitness was probably the primary reason for only finishing fifth to Lady Dominatrix. Nonetheless the latter has subsequently boosted the form by running a cracker at York providing a lively pointer to Donegal Shore's chances.

I thought Newmarket-bound Hollybell (3.30) was a desperately unlucky loser at Lingfield last week.

First of all the daughter of Beveled was caught napping in the stalls, handing her rivals a two-length advantage. Then, to compound the error, she had to come all the way round the houses on the wide outside to avoid a wall of horses.

Under the circumstances Hollybell did remarkably well to grab third spot.

Trainer John Gallagher will doubtless be hoping his progressive filly gets away to a level break and enjoys a clearer passage in the £40,000 Coral Eurobet Sprint Handicap.

If Gallagher's prayers are answered, she could provide him with one of the biggest prizes of his training career.

It is a case of quantity rather than quality at Catterick, but that isn't to say race-goers aren't in for an enjoyable afternoon of sport, with a couple of juicy-looking handicaps to have a go at.

I've narrowed the Calderprint Handicap down to the North Yorkshire-trained pair Peyto Princess and Uhoomagoo.

The former is marginally preferred, having exceeded all expectations by finishing runner-up in Listed company at Nottingham a week ago.

She was a 40-1 shot that day and took a 9lb hike in the weights for getting so close to Bright Edge, rated 94.

Although Uhoomagoo only went up 3lbs for chasing home Eurolink Zante at Salisbury, he might not have quite as much scope as Chris Fairhurst's filly, who showed herself to be potentially useful when a close eighth in a Class C 0-100 at York's Ebor Meeting last season.

Richard Fahey's team are in sparkling order and it will be no surprise if General Hawk (3.45) adds to the charismatic bespectacled Malton handler's tally in the Queen's Lancashire Regiment Classified Stakes.

General Hawk, a winner of a one-mile handicap at Newcastle last term, is extremely well-suited by the way the race is framed, running off a mark of 59 in a non-handicap restricted to horses rated from 0-60.

James Fanshawe has been patiently waiting for the right opportunity for Kirtle (4.25) to follow-up her Nottingham success, and he may well now be rewarded in the £10,000 Arena Leisure Handicap at Windsor.

The trip was only just over a mile at the Midlands course, whereas now the three-year-old must face ten furlongs.

On pedigree she ought to stay, being a daughter of Arc winner, Hernando.

But the major bonus is the copious amount of juice in the turf, a much-needed ingredient if Kirtle is to remain unbeaten in 2002.

* Sunderland boss Peter Reid has gone nap on Millennium Dragon in his bid to clinch the NSPCC's Racing to Help Children Tipster Competition.

Reid tops the table after two of the three weeks with £12,108.33 and today will stake £1,000 on Millennium Dragon (3.00 Newmarket), £400 on Green Line (4.05 Newmarket) and £200 win Fire Up The Band (3.30 Newmarket).

His closest rival Terry Yorath, Sheffield Wednesday's manager, has also gone for Millennium Dragon, along with Demi Beau (4.35 Newmarket) and Dragon Flyer (3.15 Windsor).

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