MAKING a date with Dolores (2.00) in the opening Listed Fillies and Mares race at Goodwood might just result in an afternoon to remember.

Dolores belied her totally unfancied odds of 66-1 by finishing fourth in the Sagitta 1,000 Guineas on her reappearance at the Newmarket. However, one or two leading trainers have subsequently rubbished the form of the Guineas, saying the race was run at a muddling pace and therefore does not represent true Classic form.

We'll find out whether that theory has any credence soon after 2pm, although I believe Dolores is a class act and should not be opposed even though she now has the additional burden of having to take on older horses.

With so many different camera angles available to eagle-eyed punters it's hard to bury a horse at the back of the field and not get noticed these days.

That was certainly the point in case for Harlestone Grey (3.05), who despite only finishing tenth on his comeback outing at Newmarket caught many a shrewd judge's eye by making significant late progress under a kind ride from Pat Eddery.

There's never smoke without fire and Harlestone Grey now steps up to a much more suitable distance of a mile-and-three-quarters. Neither, I suspect, will Eddery have his kid gloves on for the Showcase Handicap, especially with a total of £50,000 in the pot to be won.

Any seven-furlong specialist bred by Turtle Island has got to be of interest when the ground is riding on the soft side, prompting me to select Eurolink Zante (4.15) in the Goodman Price Handicap.

Eurolink Zante won in a fast time at Salisbury - a victory for which he's been penalised 7lbs. But the speedy gelding is still not badly handicapped and, sensibly, trainer Tim McCarthy is seeking to strike again while the iron is hot.

The couple of pounds overweight put up by Richard Quinn on Legendary Line at Pontefract might have been the difference between winning and losing when the pair finished a half-length second to Honest Obsession over two miles in April.

After a break of 26 days, Mary Reveley's game and genuine nine-year-old returns to the fray at Newcastle with Franny Norton aboard. Franny is one of the UK's leading lightweight jockeys and will have no trouble at all doing the eight stones that Legendary Line (3.50) has been set to carry in the S V Rutter Handicap.

Nifty Alice (4.25), formerly trained by Alan Berry, failed to live up to her name last season with a succession of below-par performances.

A change of scenery often brings about a revival and new handler Eric Alston rekindled her enthusiasm by placing the four-year-old to finish fourth at Redcar recently behind Mary Jane.

I took a good look at Nifty Alice in the paddock that day and she was definitely on the porky side. There's nothing like a racecourse outing to improve fitness and I believe she'll be spot-on for the five furlong Scotchhills Handicap.

Wetherby puts up a decent £13,250 purse for the Gerrad Handicap Chase and some decent animals travel up from the south, including the bold-jumping Macgeorge, who is sure to relish the stiff fences. Richard Lee's horses are in great heart, auguring well for the veteran 12-year-old