PROMISING apprentice Lynsey Hanna has struck up a profitable partnership with Westfield Star (3.00), poised to follow-up last week's track and trip victory in the Polar Ford Handicap at Thirsk today.

Eight days ago Lynsey steered the selection to a narrow neck success over Only For Gold for her guv'nor David Barron. Although the combination must now shoulder a 6lbs penalty for the win, I reckon Westfield Star is an improving type who will continue to thrive on his racing.

Unfortunately for keen racegoers in the north west, the Carlisle Bell is having to be hosted away from its natural home in Cumbria because of the foot-and-mouth epidemic.

But the switch to North Yorkshire has happily not meant any devaluation in either interest or prestige to the £10,000 event, bound in my opinion for Mick Easterby's Ballet Master (3.30).

He's run two sound races on turf since a cosy all-weather success at Southwell earlier on in the year, form which strongly indicates he has the ability to defy top-weight in the more-than-capable hands of the highly-experienced Aussie, Terry Lucas.

The closing two mile Blencathra Maiden Handicap is not the sort of contest to have the mortgage on.

In such races concentrating on the relatively unexposed three-year-olds at this stage of the season makes good sense, a policy bringing nicely into play the Kevin Darley ridden Princess Claudia (4.30).

Her pedigree is pretty stout on both the male and female sides, suggesting the marathon event will not present any particular problems.

Chris Fairhurst ended a depressing drought stretching as far back as February with a couple of winners at the start of the week.

Pound-for-pound Chris is an excellent trainer and Prix Star (7.55) has the right type of profile to keep the ball rolling for his Middleham stable in the Scottish Equitable Handicap at Hamilton's evening meeting. A stiff six furlongs is ideal for the six-year-old gelding, in with a great shout judged by his fair fifth in a better class race at Redcar on Saturday.

Mark Johnston raids Kempton with Happy Change (7.35) and Bailey's Prize (9.05).

The mile-and-a-quarter trip for the Fast Track Consulting Stakes might be a tad too short for Happy Change, however with the yard in the middle of a scintillating purple patch, he could still sneak it.

Something went seriously amiss with Baileys Prize when he was stone last at Ripon last time. It was an effort simply too bad to be true and he can bounce back in style to take the closing James Bond Night Handicap.