DEDICATED followers-of-form will more than likely be getting stuck into the leading Portland Handicap contender, Ho Leng (2.35), on day one of Doncaster's St Leger meeting.

Fourth in the contest 12 months ago when beaten by the handicap "good thing", Compton Banker, Ho Leng finds himself in the self-same category this time round having plummeted down the weights over the past few months.

I can't ever remember quite such a well-handicapped individual as Ho Leng in this type of sprint - a whopping 18lbs lower than he had to carry last year.

Add to this encouraging scenario, the fact that the six-year-old speedster finished like a rocket in a competitive sprint at York recently, and all seems set fair for the coup to be landed.

Having put such a convincing case forward, one word of caution - Ho Leng is a very hard horse to win with. One single success in the past two-and-half seasons paints a pretty fair picture, but that still shouldn't stop prospective punters having at least a small each-way on Linda Perratt's enigmatic yet talented sprinter.

In terms of prize money, the £200,000 St Leger Yearling Sales Stakes takes centre stage.

It's a race affording some of the less fashionable trainers the opportunity to scoop a really big pot and not surprisingly a maximum field of 22 juveniles turn out.

Neither Wetherby-based handler Richard Whitaker, nor journeyman jockey Dean McKeown can claim to be in the big league, consequently I suspect both might have struggled to sleep last night with the prospect of Captain Rio (3.10) passing the post first.

The selection smashed up a decent field in a fast time on only his second start at Ripon 11 days ago, a result which indubitably puts Captain Rio in with a major shout.

The build up to Miletrian's bid to take the Group 3 Park Hill Stakes for the second year in succession has not been smooth and it's hard to envisage a repeat show on the evidence of her latest inept display in the Goodwood Cup.

Much more likely to fill the number one berth is Ranin (3.40), denied a clear run when fourth, but incredibly beaten by less than half-a-length in one of the most fantastic four-way photo-finishes ever seen at York's Ebor fixture.

The race was the Listed Galtres Stakes, run 20 days ago on the Knavesmire. Richard Hills arguably had Ed Dunlop's useful three-year-old filly too far off the pace that day and when the taps were turned full on with three furlongs to travel the combination appeared to be caught on the hop.

Then as so often happens, when Ranin did hit overdrive, traffic problems meant she had to wait for a gap before making her final lunge - a split second delay which could have made the difference between wining and losing.

A pathetic turn out of just three runners for the £40,000 Group 3 Select Stakes at Goodwood just goes to show how badly the rules are in need of reform in such situations.

Inevitably the contest might well become a farce with none of the trio, Premier Prize, Nayef, or Askham, wanting to make a fast early pace. If it does come down to sprint in the final two furlongs, Nayef, the one-time Derby favourite, might be best equipped to make his presence felt.

Northern Echo (4.00) is due to take his chance in the TRNI Junior Selling Hurdle at Hereford.

It's not the worst event of its type in the world and wagers should strictly be on an each-way basis only.

In form Newcastle handler, Don Eddy, sends Ela Agori Mou (5.35) down to the Welsh borders, and should not return empty-handed in the SIS Maiden National Hunt Flat Race.