SIERRA Vista, who has dropped to a very lenient-looking mark, is taken to give a good account in the Tote Bookmakers Showcase Handicap at Ayr this afternoon.

David Barker does well with his speedsters and the three-year-old looks a fair bit better than the bare form of the majority of her runs this term would suggest.

This dual five-furlong winner last year seems much more effective over the minimum trip and she did not get home over six in a very competitive handicap at York on her penultimate start.

The filly had no luck with the draw at Beverley back over this trip on easy ground last time and was eased off having met plenty of trouble in running when starting to make ground.

This trip on this ground should be ideal and she's taken to beat the likely favourite Hiccups, who is fresh from a Carlisle win and has Kieren Fallon in the saddle, but who hasn't always looked an ideal betting proposition in the past.

Sir Mark Prescott has his team in good form and he can be on the mark with Major Dancer in the Garry Owen Nursery over seven furlongs.

The juvenile has shown ability in three outings to date and was far from disgraced when third to Manntab on his AW debut last time.

Although the handicapper hasn't taken many chances on what he has achieved so far, he's open to stacks of improvement, is in very good hands and his yard were on the mark in this type of race at York at the weekend.

Prescott and George Duffield can also be on the mark with the Zingari in the Dawn Classified Stakes over a mile.

The three-year-old was a most progressive sort last year with five consecutive wins at up to this trip and that winning run was only halted in a Listed event in Italy in October.

As he races up with the pace and likes fast ground he has plenty in his favour and he's taken to beat the reliable Santisima Trinidad.

At Wolverhampton's evening meeting Haunt The Zoo, who shaped as though coming to hand at this course last time, can be on the mark in the opening handicap over the extended mile.

John Harris' mare has slipped to a handy mark and ran her best race of the year when finishing third to Sudra and Anemos over this course and distance at the end of last month.

The first time eyeshield she wore on that occasion seemed to spark her into life and, if the headgear has the same effect this afternoon, she could be hard to beat from only a marginally higher mark.

At Windsor Tomthevic, who has conditions to suit, looks an interesting runner in the Racing Is Fun For The Young Handicap over five furlongs. Patrick Chamings' sprinter ran well from a poor draw at Folkestone last week and his double figure draw looks ideal for one that races right up with the pace.

l Mail The Desert had to settle for second place behind the impressive Martillo in the Grosser Porsche Preis von Deutschland over a mile at Hoppegarten in Germany yesterday.