CANNY Karl Burke has carved out an excellent opening for Chiselled (3.00) in Newcastle's totesport Maiden Stakes.

Karl's three-year-old has been restricted to just four lifetime starts, but that could work in his favour since the son of star sprint sire, Rossini, has far less miles on the clock than the majority of his rivals.

Chiselled made a belated seasonal reappearance at Beverley ten days ago, adopting a front-running role until not surprisingly the wheels dropped off having not previously set foot on a racecourse for 50 weeks.

Team Burke represent a pretty shrewd outfit and there was plenty of money around for the selection on that occasion, cash which connections will be keen to get back off the bookies.

Sure to strip a whole lot fitter for the run, Chiselled is now going to have a lot more reserves of energy to draw upon and shouldn't under any circumstances be underestimated in the five-furlong dash.

Young apprentice rider, Kirsty Milczarek, succeeded where many senior jockeys have abjectly failed in the past by getting a tune out of Fairgame Man (4.00).

Having not occupied the hallowed winners' enclosure since July 2004, Kirsty galvanised Fairgame Man to such good effect that he put his best foot forward to collect over course and distance last time out.

And if you're prepared to delve deep enough into the record books, the selection did actually record back-to-back wins during his millennium campaign, which just goes to show John Wainwright's gelding is capable when in the mood of stringing two good runs together.

Having put my case before the jury, I hope Fairgame Man does not let the side down by fluffing his lines in the totesport.com Handicap, a race in which he's been blessed with a hugely advantageous low draw in stall four.

Provided Melvino (5.00) continues his current rate of improvement there's every prospect he'll send his supporters' home happy in lucky last.

David Barron's raider was treading water at the halfway stage of his most recent outing at Ripon, however he found his stride once others began back-pedal, finishing like the proverbial greyhound to snatch fourth spot.

It'll be up to Philip Makin to get his mount motivated a little earlier on in proceedings, and if he does succeed then the combination will be tough to beat in the closing mile-and-a-quarter contest.

The last time Bath-bound Meaningful (2.40) took a visit to the racecourse it resulted in Kevin Darley being banned for ten days.

The local Stewards at Ayr deemed Darley guilty of not riding his horse out to obtain its' best possible position, a situation not likely to be repeated by today's pilot, Greg Fairley.

Fairley is not so much hungry as starving for winners, so rest assured he'll throw the kitchen sink at Meaningful if the finale of the At The Races Nursery turns out to be a nip-and-tuck affair.

Rose Bien (5.20) rates the top bet at Warwick following her encouraging second place to Sea Map at Wolverhampton. Phil McBride's filly is clearly on an upward curve, hence the booking of the leading apprentice, Saleem Golam, to do the steering in the ten-furlong Racing UK Handicap.

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