JOHN DUNLOP'S horses face a marathon 500-mile round trip when visiting Thirsk, consequently it normally makes sense to follow their fortunes if he takes the trouble to send them all the way up from his base near Arundel in West Sussex.

Today he has despatched Mawhoob (2.20) to the North Yorkshire track, a two-year-old who has twice failed to deliver despite each time being backed to favouritism at Newmarket and then Doncaster.

When one of Dunlop's horses attracts significant market support it is reasonable to assume the individual concerned has been showing bags of speed on the home gallops.

But maybe even the master trainer got his sums wrong for once because after that brace of unsuccessful attempts over seven furlongs, he switches the beautifully-bred son of Dayjur back to a furlong less.

Dayjur is usually a huge influence for speed and this new shorter distance might conceivably be what is required to help Mawhoob break his duck at the third time of asking.

Roger Charlton's stable was under a massive cloud for the early part of the season. Now it is a completely different ball game with virtually all of his runners either winning or at least making the frame.

And Flamenco Red (3.20) should be no exception judged on her latest effort at Chepstow when chasing home all-the-way scorer Keltech Gold.

The race was run in a particularly quick time and I don't expect the filly will be hanging around for the opposition in the £10,000 Deepdale Classified Stakes.

Newmarket stage the most valuable race of the day, the Charles Heidsieck Handicap.

Godolphin's all-conquering team were conspicuous by their absence in numbers at York's three-day meeting, however they rarely stay quiet for long and Fath (3.30) looks in good shape to land the £21,000 feature.

He was initially campaigned over a mile running in no lesser contest than the 2000 Guineas. Clearly he did not stay the trip, nor the seven furlongs he tried next time at Royal Ascot.

Connections then found the key by reverting him back to a sprint trip of six furlongs at Doncaster where he hammered Proud Native by a long looking two lengths.

There are one or two decent betting opportunities at Newcastle's evening meeting, notably Thatched (6.35), who on a point of handicapping must have an outstanding chance to pick up the Scotswood Road Handicap.

Michael Dods runs four in the Great North Road Handicap. For my money pick of the speedy quartet is Square Dancer (7.35), a promising fifth at Pontefract last Sunday.

Over the sticks at Uttoxeter Prussia (5.45) can defy top-weight in the Bass Selling Handicap Hurdle.

Prussia's nothing like as good as he used to say, but that is not to say he isn't still a pretty smart operator in the type of lowly grade.

I've been patiently waiting for Bill Turner to turn out Impala (7.45) again, he was really impressive when striding away with a similar handicap at Stratford. The runner-up Severn Gale has since gone in, giving the form a gilt-edged appearance