SIR MICHAEL STOUTE holds a strong hand in this afternoon's Group 1 Lockinge Stakes with both Peeress (2.40) and Rob Roy poised to take a leading role in the £200,000 showpiece.

After yet another big winner at York this week, an arguably illprepared TV interviewer asked Stoute what he thought of Rob Roy's weekend prospects, to which the reigning champion trainer replied: "Don't forget Peeress."

Putting a definitive spin on such off-the-cuff comments is inherently dangerous but it's a fact Peeress scored first time out last season, plus has had a life-long love affair with the prevailing easy ground.

Rob Roy, it must be added, did absolutely nothing wrong when scooping Sandown's Group 2 Betfred Mile on his reappearance but, on balance, Peeress, partnered by the incomparable Kieren Fallon, shades the verdict.

Of course, neither may cope with the likely market leader, Soviet Song.

The all-conquering James Fanshawe-trained mare is by far and away the top-rated miler in the contest by virtue of her sheer class and blinding acceleration.

For sure Soviet Song has the ideal credentials but as favourite backers found out to their cost when usurped by Proclamation in last year's Sussex Stakes, there's no such thing as a certainty, especially at Group 1 level.

Salute The General, a horse with more seconds to his name than a Swiss Watch, might go one better by lifting the London Gold Cup.

Someone in the know seemingly put the word out for Salute The General (3.20) prior to his Sandown comeback, his price crashing from 20s to 8-1 as the result of a sustained gamble on the three-year-old.

Like so many similar inspired punts, he heartbreakingly finished in second spot, albeit beaten by a very progressive type, Mark Johnston's Linas Selection.

At least we're able to draw on the candid post-race conclusions by ever-helpful jockey Martin Dwyer, who reported that his mount had "blown up".

Thankfully, the somewhat ambiguous term doesn't mean the poor creature was torn limb from limb by a ghastly explosion, merely in racing-speak that Salute The General wasn't fit enough to do himself justice.

Trainer Willie Muir is well known for under-cooking his team at this relatively early stage of the season but you can bet your bottom dollar he'll have tuned up his horse for today's fat £50,000 purse.

The art of rounding off middledistance handicaps often boils down to just how hard a horse is prepared to get down and graft.

We're basically talking streetfighters here and they don't come much tougher than Mustajed (3.55), the confident pick for the mile-and-a-half paddypower. com Handicap.

Rod Millman's stayer has been involved in more scraps than Ricky Hatton, generally speaking emerging from the bouts with his head held high in the knowledge he'd taken a full picnic to the party.

And it was more of the same on Mustajed's recent return to the fray when nabbing third spot in a competitive Windsor event, an outing which should by rights have put a steely edge on his fitness.

Instead of bringing Thursday's York winner, Sphinx, straight back to base camp at Lewes in Sussex, Jamie Poulton has cleverly re-routed his charge for Nottingham's mile-and-three-quarter Handicap.

So easily did Sphinx dash clear in the closing stages on the Knavesmire, it was almost as if he'd joined in with only a couple of furlongs to travel.

There's no question he ended the race like a fresh athlete and it's hard to envisage a 6lbs penalty will be sufficient to prevent Poulton's raider completing a quick-fire double.

The advantage of being drawn low in big fields has been the subject of controversy at the Midlands venue, which is a pity for Divine Spirit (1.55), who has pulled stall 16 out of the hat.

The Michael Dods-trained speedster is at the right end of the weights and a winner waiting to happen, although whether he can overcome the effects of such a high draw only time will tell.

Racing North ten-to-follow pick, Borderlescott, rewarded Janus (Colin Woods) and his supporters with a sparkling 12-1 success at York yesterday.