AT first glance a set of blinkers is a curious piece of equipment to be fitted to a racehorse.

After all, what person in their right mind would want to restrict an animal's sight when it is expected to keep clear of its rivals during the course of a race?

The theory goes that blinkers help horses concentrate by restricting peripheral vision and thus making them look straight ahead. Whatever the dynamics of the kit, it has certainly worked in the case of Mick Easterby's Dadeland, successful on her last two outings at Newcastle and Ayr ever since the "blinds" were put on.

Dadeland (3.30) is now bidding for a well-deserved hat-trick in the mile-and-a-half Halsall Stakes at Haydock and, while she is in such tremendous fettle, it would be folly to do anything other than climb on the bandwagon.

Supporters of Kevin Ryan's Sutton Bank stable have helped themselves time and again to some juicy offerings served up by the in-form Yorkshire handler over the past few months.

Seven-furlong specialist Frank Mor (5.00) is one of Ryan's inmates to have been in the thick of the action winning at Southwell on turf, prior to scoring on Wolverhampton's all-weather track last time out.

Frank Mor is a big slab of a horse, just the type to progress with his racing, and from a cracking low draw in the number two stall he looks the one to be on in the later Bean Counters' Handicap.

One of the tallest jockeys in the weighing room, Ryan Cody-Boucher, takes the ride on Brighton-bound Conundrum (3.50).

Cody-Boucher, a useful 5lb apprentice, was doing the steering on the selection when the partnership prevailed in heroic fashion at Kempton eight days ago. Heroic because it appeared for all the world that Conundrum would be swallowed by the pack as he turned for home.

But such was the tenacity of the Peter Harris-trained four-year-old, he repelled all comers under a strong drive from his young jockey, and such courage is fancied to carry the day in the most valuable contest on the card, the Ladbrokes Brighton Challenge Cup.

The extreme undulating nature of the track at Chepstow has a tendency to throw horses off their natural stride.

In such circumstances the old "horse for courses" theory often holds good and Eagles High (4.10) is one who has shown a preference for the south Wales venue in the past.

Eagles High certainly hails from a yard in the best of heart - Richard Hannon had a double at Brighton yesterday - and the he made no mistake when last visiting the track back in June.

* Kazzia is still on course to run in the Aston Upthorpe Yorkshire Oaks before going for the Rothmans Royals St Leger in her bid to capture the fillies' Triple Crown.

''We're very much looking forward to running her in the Yorkshire Oaks later this month,'' Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford told attheraces today.

''She's coming on well at the moment."

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