ALAN SWINBANK'S high opinion concerning Ouninpohja has been fully vindicated over recent weeks by virtue of three wins on the bounce in successively stronger races.

They don't come much shrewder than Alan, so his decision to despatch the progressive four-year-old from his Melsonby base down to Newmarket this afternoon smacks of a trainer quietly confident of the horse's ability.

Ouninpohja (3.45) needs to shrug off top-weight in his chosen mile-and-a-half event this afternoon, but that need not necessarily be a problem seeing as he's a robust sort capable of carrying lumps of lead to victory.

Near-veteran jockey Dean McKeown once again takes the ride aboard Swinbank's raider having steered the selection to score at Newcastle, Doncaster, and Pontefract.

"The Dean Machine", as he's affectionately known in some quarters, might be the wrong side of 40 these days, none the less he keeps himself as fit as a butcher's dog and can still push one pretty hard when required.

Another individual travelling from our region to do battle at headquarters is Loop The Loup (4.50) in the closing two-miler.

Keith Reveley's old-timer has suddenly found a new lease of life, rolling back the years to win his last two starts in emphatic fashion. Team Reveley normally do well on their forays to the course and it would not exactly be a major shock if Loop The Loup completed a well deserved three-timer.

The application of first-time blinkers to Mouchoir (2.30) is a sign that connections mean business in the opener at Haydock.

Peter Makin's two-year-old would have finished far closer but for a bout of bumping and boring on his most recent outing when taken to Windsor for a fairly warm looking maiden.

Mouchoir's clearly got bags of ability and given the benefit of a less troubled passage, Philip Robinson should have sufficient horse power underneath to make his presence felt in the five-furlong contest.

The one-mile Kings Regiment Handicap contains several front-runners liable to cut each other's throats if going out to hard over the first six furlongs.

Should this scenario prove to be an accurate picture of what actually happens, it could set things up nicely for Along The Nile, a previous course and distance winner capable of producing a smart turn of foot.

Chris Fairhurst didn't have much to smile about during the early part of the season, but his stable has now turned the corner putting a more positive spin on the prospects of Hezaam (5.10).

Hezaam's slip in the ratings gives him an outstanding chance in the NIG Racing Challenge Handicap, moreover, he's been reunited with Leanne Kershaw, who coaxed a decent effort out of the gelding when got together at the track in July.