HELLVELYN (3.10) has Haydock's Betfred Sprint Cup firmly in his sights following an upbeat report from Hambleton handler, Bryan Smart.

Bryan is already enjoying an excellent season and a win for Hellvelyn in the star-studded Group 1 contest would put the icing on the cake as far as he's concerned.

Having scooped Royal Ascot's 2006 Coventry Stakes, Smart's classy three-year-old was kept under-wraps in the spring until reappearing for Newmarket's July Cup.

Hellvelyn's eighth placing in that red-hot affair hinted he retained all of his ability, an opinion vindicated by this column when headlined to land the Beverley Bullet 14 days ago.

"I was absolutely thrilled to bits with him at Beverley. He's come out of it well and it all points to Haydock now, but we don't want too much rain," explained a jubilant Smart.

Slaves to the form book will say that today's market leader, Sakhee's Secret, stuffed the selection in the July Cup, but in defence of Hellvelyn he hadn't run for nine months and was clearly ring-rusty.

Faced with the prospect of backing the former at a miserly 6-5, or Hellvelyn each-way at around 10s, I'd rather get stuck into the latter granted the chances of a big pay-day for relatively small stakes.

There's also a superb supporting card for armchair viewers to savour, kicking off with the Be Friendly Handicap, a race Smart's next door neighbour, Kevin Ryan, might nab via Northern Empire (2.05).

Although Northern Empire appears to have a stiff task from stall one, the so-called "coffin box", perhaps perceived wisdom about needing a high draw will be turned on its head.

The best news for fans of Northern Empire (2.05) is to be gleaned from the fact that the habitual fast-starter, Coconut Moon, is scheduled to emerge alongside in stall two.

On balance of probability, Coconut Moon should blast from the gates, handing Ryan's raider a nice early lead, prior to Neil Callan's mount hopefully taking the initiative close home.

At the other end of the distance spectrum, the Old Borough Cup, over a mile-and-three-quarters, is set to test stamina, rather than sheer speed.

There's nothing new about concentrating on the three-year-old generation in this genre, simply because it's a formula which has worked the oracle time and again.

The two protagonists are Regal Flush (3.40) and Record Breaker, trained respectively by Sir Michael Stoute and Mark Johnston, both of whom like to target this type of prize.

It's an unenviable job choosing between the pair, however when Regal Flush won a 12-furlong Glorious Goodwood event, he did it in the style of a horse likely to thrive over this longer trip.

Even if Record Breaker doesn't oblige, team Johnston still have an ace in the pack courtesy of Campanologist (4.40) for the one mile Conditions Stakes.

The Sheikh Mohammed-owned son of Kingmambo made a successful debut when taking some notable southern scalps at Sandown.

By virtue of that impressive triumph Campanologist earned a crack at York's Group 3 Acomb Stakes, a contest in which he acquitted himself well-enough by finishing fourth.

Only a fool would believe there isn't plenty more to come from the colt, especially now he's being stepped up to a trip which by rights should bring about significant improvement.

It's always nice to see the name of the great Nijinsky in a pedigree, a vital part of the genetic make-up which has enabled Kempton-bound Samarinda (3.25) to win four of his last five outings.

The figures show quite conclusively that Samarinda, a son of Rahy out of a Nijinsky mare, is in the sort of fettle which may enable him to land the final of the London Mile Handicap.

Not all thoroughbreds act on polytrack, but Pam Sly's four-year-old has adapted sublimely to the man-made surface and has already twice obliged over course and distance.