COMMITMENT LECTURE and Balakiref should ensure Michael Dods does not leave Warwick empty-handed this afternoon.

Conditions are bound to be very testing at the course with the ground certain to be chewed up in the wake of the busy meeting held at the track yesterday. But presumably that is all is part of the Dods' masterplan because it wasn't any different underfoot when Commitment Lecture (4.00) prevailed at Haydock a week ago last Saturday.

She's a very gutsy filly and while others will be waving the white flag in surrender come the final couple of furlongs of the Zorn Handicap, Willie Supple's mount is almost sure to be galloping on with admiral resolution.

As well as Balakiref (5.00), Michael also sends out Bundy for the later Herr Source Classified Stakes over seven furlongs.

By an amazing coincidence the stable-companions have been drawn next to each other in stalls four and five respectively. Although Bundy has never won over seven furlongs, Dods reckons the eight-year-old could be suited by the trip this year.

Michael may well be proved right, however, on this occasion my money will be with Balakiref, a welcome back-to-form scorer at Southwell in April.

Since then the nap selection has had no luck in running whatsoever on either of his last two outings, both times finishing second after meeting interference at a vital stage of his race. If the predicted heavy rain arrives in the Bath area, Rileys Dream (3.20) might well be the principal benefactor of the forecast monsoon in the Oswald Bailey Fillies' Handicap.

When trained by Mick Channon, Rileys Dream won three sprints over five, six, and seven furlongs, each time when there was plenty of juice in the turf.

The hugely underrated Welsh handler, Bernard Llewellyn, now has the filly in his care and she ran particularly well at Southwell recently, snatching fifth spot from an initially unpromising position.

Up at Musselburgh's evening fixture, Marino Mou (6.40) is an interesting runner in the two-mile Len Lothian Handicap.

It is an absolute shocking event in which Marino Mou is one of the few in the field with any scope for improvement. There was definitely plenty to like about his latest close-up third placing over a similar distance at Folkestone when competing from 13lb out of the official handicap.

As the result of the run he's been shoved up by the same amount in the weights, however, he's a superbly-bred colt by Darshaan, whose stock invariably gets better with age over a distance of ground, so Marino Mou may yet defy that significant hike in the ratings.

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