STEERING jobs in top-class races do not come along too often, but that's the way it looks for Frankie Dettori aboard Silent Honor (3.05) in the £50,000 Group 2 Cherry Hinton Stakes at Newmarket today.

Described recently by her trainer, David Loder, as "potentially the best filly I've had anything to do with", Silent Honor has the ideal opportunity to build on an impressive track and trip debut in June when the Sheikh Mohammed-owned two-year-old brushed aside a useful field with contemptuous ease.

With all the hype currently surrounding the Loder hot-pot there'll not be much value to be had with her in the betting ring, a remark which certainly shouldn't apply to Sudra (2.35) in the preceding H&K Commissions Handicap.

Backers of Sudra can expect a starting price of 10-1 or better, however despite being a relative outsider, I'm still confident of a big run from the son of leading sire Indian Ridge.

The selection came sixth in a bunch finish on his latest outing at Newcastle where in all honesty he would nearly have won given a clear passage. Another individual to meet severe traffic problems was Effervesce (5.15), an unbelievably unlucky loser over course and distance when carrying the nap vote 11 days ago.

Mark Buckley's improving three-year-old sprinter was given an ill-judged ride by Jimmy Fortune who managed to find no less three blind alleys in a five furlong sprint.

He eventually switched Effervesce wide to make her challenge, sadly by which time the winner Blakeshall Boy had flown.

Connections have given Fortune the chance to atone in the closing NGK Spark Plugs Soham Handicap, although supporters will have to settle for far skinnier odds than the 12-1 available on her previous outing.

The first two-year-old handicap of the season takes place at Pontefract where Raphael (2.50) is fancied to open her account in the Dianne Nursery. Tim Easterby's juvenile failed by just three-quarters-of-a-length to catch the newcomer King Harson over the minimum distance at the course five weeks ago.

With the benefit of a short rest, plus the extra furlong, a first success beckons for the daughter of the speedy sire, Perugino. A stiff six furlongs suits Mister Clinton (3.55), well placed to advantage of his low draw in the dash for the St Giles Handicap.

l Andy Crook, who took over the reins at Oakwood Stable, Middleham, at the beginning of May following Micky Hammond's retirement from training, sent out his first Flat winner when Hard Lines won the Market Place Selling Stakes at Ripon last night, writes RAY GILPIN.

Ridden by George Duffield, Hard Lines wore down Chicksaw Trail inside the final furlong to win by a length and there was a bonus for the yard when the gelding was retained without a bid. Crook got off the mark over jumps when his Colourful Life provided Peter Niven with his 1000th career success in the saddle at Wetherby a week after he had received his trainer's licence.

But he explained: "I was apprenticed to Steve Nesbitt at Ripon and I have many good memories about the town and many friends around here so if there was anywhere I had wanted to have my first winner it was here. The plan next year is to go 50-50 Flat and jumping, we have some orders to buy half a dozen yearlings at the St Leger Sales and we intend to give it a good crack."

Scarcroft-based Richard Whitaker sent out his first two-year-old winner of the season when Encore Ma Fille, ridden by Dean McKeown, won the Duck Hill Maiden Auction Fillies' Stakes by a comfortable half length from Ryan's Quest. But as he was a guest on Sky TV's coverage, his son Simon was left to do all the hard work and the latter explained: "She is an improving filly and we have always thought a lot of her.

"Dean gave her a super ride, he rode her like a true filly and he was always confident he had the other one held - I thought she would stay seven furlongs, but she showed so much speed last time that we decided to drop her back to five furlongs."

And there was further joy as Whitaker went on to complete a double with Serviceable in the Westgate Handicap.