SPURNING the chance to support Spirit Of France (3.00) might prove an unwise decision on a day when winner-finding is brutally hard.

In terms of the never-ending war betwixt punter and bookmakers, Ayr is a positive graveyard where the former is concerned but at least there's hope on the horizon with the Mark Johnston-trained standard-bearer.

Dubbed "Braveheart" by some sections of the media in recognition of the way time and again Johnston sends his horses back into battle, Spirit Of France seems to run nearly every couple of weeks, yet always returns to the well as fresh as paint.

It's an accepted fact that nothing breeds success like success and the selection heads for the Totepool Handicap having notched a fast-time Musselburgh victory just seven days ago.

Spirit Of France has been sprinting for the majority of 2005, however on the evidence of last Saturday's win over one mile the sky could be the limit now connections have decided that stamina, rather than sheer speed, is his forte.

Another traveller across the border from our region well worth an each-way snifter is Flipando (1.50), bidding to erase the memory of a luckless Ripon run.

David Barron's bay gelding might as well have gone for a canter round the paddock at home for all the good it was going to the races that day. Held up in the rear by Phil Makin, Flipando lost all realistic opportunity when flattened just as he was about to make his challenge.

The prize-money on offer at Newbury is absolutely mind-boggling, none more so than the £250,000 Watership Down Stakes, in which it's going take a miracle to stop Flashy Wings (2.10).

Mick Channon's unbeaten filly has already bagged a glittering succession of Group wins, form far superior to anything she will encounter in today's six-and-a-half-furlong event.

Of more interest from a punting perspective is Celtic Mill (3.55), who despite having been out of action for ten weeks ran a stormer in defeat to finish third at Doncaster's St Leger meeting.

With the steadier of having to shoulder 10-2 on the Town Moor, it's not surprising David Barker's stable-star buckled under the weight and couldn't match Majestic Missile when push came to shove as the winning post came into view.

What we can say with nigh on absolute certainty is that Celtic Mill will be all the sharper for the outing and seeing as, like a vintage wine, he's getting better with age, there could more fireworks to come from the Peter Asquith-owned flying machine.

The £10,000 October Nursery tops the bill at Catterick, a contest which could turn out to be a stroll in the park for North Walk (3.05).

Kevin Ryan's juvenile showed the benefit of having had a gelding operation by opening his account in gutsy fashion at Redcar late last month. He's the type to keep on improving and although not ideally drawn in stall 14, still makes huge appeal against a bunch of fairly exposed rivals.

You can count Luca Cumani's previous runners at the course on the fingers of one hand, therefore the appearance of Zalimar (3.35) in the Constant Security September Handicap has got to be of interest.

Cumani has clearly spotted an easy opening for his progressive three-year-old, untroubled by any of his opponents when thrashing Incroyable on a smash-and-grab visit to Chester recently.

The closing fillies' handicap doesn't provide the most enticing getting-out stakes, but that's not to say Petite Mac (5.05) isn't capable of strutting her stuff.

The daughter of Timeless Times, a winner at Ripon in August, looks ideal for this extra furlong after making headway in the latter stages of well-contested six-furlong race at Redcar on Monday.

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