PACE judgement will be crucial to Rotuma's prospects at Newcastle's meeting this afternoon.

On a major charity fundraising day in aid of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, backers of Rotuma should, with luck, be able to put their hands in their pockets and support what is an extremely worthwhile cause.

Confidently napped by this column at Ayr last time out, Rotuma (5.00) would surely have landed the spoils but for a case of pilot error when being produced just a little bit too soon by Phil Makin.

Makin was swinging along with a double handful aboard Rotuma, however, instead of waiting to launch a late challenge he unleashed his mount well over a furlong from home with what seemed to be a decisive manoeuvre.

The Michael Dods-trained gelding is a game as they come, sadly though he was simply in front for too long and ended up being worn down by both Balwearie and Sting Like A Bee inside the final 50 yards of the contest.

We all make mistakes and jockeys are no exception, nevertheless the currently suspended Makin has been replaced by the more experienced rider, Tom Eaves, who will have to employ slightly superior timing if Rotuma is to take full advantage of his favourable handicap rating.

The Croft Technology Handicap is going to be a real war of attrition over the stiff two-mile Tyneside track, especially as recent rain has taken the sting out of the ground.

One of the more likely winners in the 12-runner line up is Vicious Prince, a son of Sadler's Wells with a definite affinity for an easy surface. Richard Whitaker's raider has been lightly campaigned during the past couple of years, and therefore has fewer miles on the clock than the majority of his rivals.

As far as past performances are concerned, if you care to go back far enough Vicious Prince (3.30) has the form in the book to take the £6,500 contest for what by all accounts is a pretty modest affair.

The £15,000 Pontefract Handicap represents the feature race at the West Yorkshire venue, a decent prize that might ultimately turn out to be a straight fight between Millville and Royal Cavalier (3.50).

Although Millville got the better of the argument when the pair clashed at Ripon in July, Royal Cavalier's stable has since come alive. Reg Hollinshead's former November Handicap hero is always a dangerous customer when he's on song and now could be the perfect moment to put the cash down on the evergreen eight-year-old.

Middleham handler Jedd O'Keeffe, successful at Catterick yesterday with Alani in the seller, could easily keep his good start to August on a roll with a double courtesy of Luna Landing (6.15) and Snow Bunting (6.45).

"That was one of my better buys," joshed O'Keeffe after the cheaply bought two-year-old, Luna Landing, picked up a Newcastle sprint maiden. It certainly was an excellent effort, and the time clocked by O'Keeffe's colt suggests he's the one to beat in the Green Plant Hire Novices' Stakes.

Snow Bunting doesn't win as often as he ought, but he's still worth supporting on an each-way basis for the 365 Handicap if only because the inconsistent gelding normally drops his head in front when least expected.

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