Make no Mistake

Being a son of the Derby winner Dr Devious out of a Halo mare, Alan Swinbank's three-year-old just about gets the nod on breeding alone.

Beautiful bloodlines are all well and good, but you also need an engine and his stamina-packed pedigree was endorsed last time out at Hamilton where he finished a creditable runner-up to Party Ploy.

Ryans Mistake battled all the way to the line over 12 furlongs that day and, spotting the chance to squeeze every ounce of improvement from his gelding, Swinbank has swiftly stepped the selection up to a mile and a three quarters for the goracing.co.uk Handicap.

James Bethell, who knocked in a tasty 20-1 winner at York on Sunday via King Harston, cannot expect those sort of fancy odds about his challenger, True Magic (2.20), in the opening Beckside Maiden Auction Stakes.

Bethell's filly finished third on her debut at Ripon to Wanchai Lad and Philharmonic. It appeared at time to be a decent run and given the last-named pair have both won since that opinion has been totally vindicated.

Lambourn handler Brian Meehan doesn't often venture to Catterick, however he has an excellent opportunity to take the Nursery with hat-trick seeking Perfect Distance (2.55).

Although Perfect Distance has taken time to get going, successive victories at Wolverhampton and latterly Musselburgh put Meehan's long-distance raider bang in line for the six-furlong dash.

If ever a girl deserves to get more rides, it is the hugely talented apprentice Hayley Turner, who heads to Leicester to partner the consistent two-year-old Pardon Moi (2.35) in the Rancliffe Selling Nursery.

Hayley has come on in leaps-and-bounds over the past few months and yet her services remain very much under utilised. At least Christine Dunnett has stayed loyal to Turner, fancied to make the most of Pardon Moi's superior experience against a bunch of mainly motley rivals.

Telori (3.05) bids to win the following Prestwick Handicap for the second year in a row.

Ian Wood's mare recently hinted at a return to form and seeing as she has dropped back to a winning mark must hold plenty of aces in the 20-runner cavalry charge.

Blink and you'll miss the five-furlong Racecourse Video Conditions Stakes, a race in which all six contenders possess genuine speed.

Of the sextet Bond Becks is sure to strike soon, however at the weights I just give The Trader (4.05) the edge. Kieren Fallon's mount not only takes an enormous drop in class having last run respectably behind Oasis Dream in the Group 1 Nunthorpe at York, he also has a previous course and distance success to his name.

Not many flat horses are still trucking at the age of ten, none the less that is exactly the scenario concerning Absolute Utopia (4.15), a definite for the short-list in the mile-and-a-quarter Renault Master Van Selling Handicap at Lingfield.

John Spearing's veteran has been in cracking form of late, making the frame on all of his latest three starts. He might even have won at Warwick 15 days ago were it not for his foolish young jockey taking things a tad too easy once the winning post was in view.

There'll be no such occurrence today with Frankie Dettori in the saddle, an absolute master when it comes to producing old-timers such as Absolute Utopia on the Polytrack.

l Thirsk trainer David Barron equalled his best score of 58, and in some style when Flipando landed a gamble in the hands of Dean Mernagh in the European Breeders Fund/Saltwell Signs Maiden Stakes at Newcastle yesterday, writes RAY GILPIN.

Flipando was backed from 7-1 to 7-2, and striking the front a furlong and a half out on the far side, he stayed on to score by one and a quarter lengths from Mark Johnston's Bloemfontein who raced up the stands rails.

Barron trains the winner for his near neighbour Jean Hazel, and when it was suggested Flipando had not been unfancied, he replied with a smile: "I must have a fan club up here!

"We have been trickling away all season and winners have just kept coming - the number of individual two-year-old winners we have had must be in the teens now and they include the three which I bought for Mrs Hazel."

Kevin Darley brought Michael Dods's Bundy with a sustained run to win the St James Security Handicap by a decisive one and three quarter lengths. Dods also saddled seventh-placed Mr Bountiful and Flying Tackle who beat only four home, and he said of Bundy, who carries the colours of Gainford owner Alan Henderson: "I said beforehand that all three were well and should run well.

"But Soaked set it up for Bundy and the race was run to suit him really. Kevin said he was half a furlong behind at one stage, but tyhe leaders went too fast and stopped.

"Bundy has to get his toe in and hopefully we will get some soft ground and he can win another before the season ends.''

Mr Bountiful has been declared for Catterick today, but is unlikely to run.

Mary Reveley's Ruby Legend, a winner at the course last season, gained a well deserved success under Tony Culhane in the St James Security Handicap, coming home with two lengths to spare over The Loose Screw.