RIYADH, cruelly beaten in a pair of nail-biting photo-finishes on two of his last three outings, is fancied to finally get his head back in front at Yarmouth today.

Despite a reputation for failing to knuckle down when the going gets tough, Riyadh (4.45) still has sufficient raw talent to defy top-weight and take the closing two-mile Aylsham Kitchen Centre Handicap at the popular East Anglian seaside resort.

Although on his latest start at Newcastle the quirky six-year-old had to play second fiddle to Roger Fischer's Toni Alcala, the margin of defeat was only a head and for those who backed Riyadh he's well worth another small investment to try and retrieve losses.

Team Johnston could also be in the money with Mystical Girl (3.45), by no means a forlorn hope for the feature race on the card, the Listed Virginia Rated Stakes.

Mystical Girl enjoyed an excellent start to her campaign, romping to a brace of easy successes at Sandown and Thirsk. On the strength of those two impressive victories the progressive three-year-old was made hot favourite to score at Royal Ascot, however it was not to be because after promising to take at hand, she folded tamely in the last couple of furlongs.

I don't believe there will be a similar welter of money for the Middleham raider this afternoon since there are other runners in the race seemingly in better form.

But there was a hint that Mystical Girl was in the throes of making a comeback at Glorious Goodwood last time out, and if she continues to build on that performance another visit to the winners' enclosure beckons in the £30,000 event.

Brighton specialist Mister Clinton (4.30) bids to improve an enviable course record by picking up the Alexander Classified Stakes.

At the corresponding fixture 12 months ago Mister Clinton won the five-and-a-half furlong event, but he is equally effective at longer distances such as this afternoon's seven-furlong contest.

Sheer courage is another good reason to side with the Dean Ivory trained gelding, a point hammered home by the selection on his most recent start over track and trip when he edged out Londoner in a thrilling duel to the line.

Best bet over the sticks by a country mile is Bushido (7.00), a leading contender for the big race of the night at Worcester, the £10,000 Weatherbys Insurance Handicap Hurdle.

The trail-blazing Bushido's winning streak shows no sign of stopping following two blistering pillar-to-post triumphs at Wetherby and Market Rasen.

* Henry Cecil is waiting for a change in the weather before committing his promising juvenile Camacho to a big-race target.

The Danehill colt holds entries in the SGB Champagne Stakes at Doncaster, the Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury, the Shadwell Stud Middle Park Stakes and the Darley Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket.

He also held an engagement in last Saturday's Group Three Solario Stakes at Sandown, but failed to appear amongst the final entries because of the soft ground.

''He's fine and in good order,'' said Cecil. ''We've waited with him because I didn't want to run him on that ground. We'll have to see what happens with the ground before we run him again.''

Camacho only been seen once to date, when running out a smooth winner of a Newmarket maiden last month, having been the subject of favourable gallop reports.

* Jockey Pat Smullen believes that Grey Swallow has to have ''every chance'' when taking on older horses for the first time in the Baileys Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown next month.

Dermot Weld's brilliant winner of the Irish Derby faces a possible clash with Godolphin's King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes winner Doyen and French raider Bago.

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