GERARD BUTLER has found another ideal opportunity to keep the cash tills ringing with his fast-improving three-year-old gelding Jazz Messenger (3.15) at Beverley this afternoon.

Based at Blewbury in Oxfordshire, Butler is fully aware he must often travel long distances to maximise the relatively short careers of the majority of thoroughbreds. "We'll go anywhere in search of success, that's the nature of the business," he said.

Gerard has kept Jazz Messenger under wraps since scoring in eye-catching fashion at Southwell late last month and his patience now appears set to pay off in the richest race at the meeting, the £14,000 Showcase Handicap over seven-and-a-half-furlongs.

Although the German-bred gelding only won by a solitary length last time out, stable jockey Eddie Ahern was not hard on his mount and had he been more vigorous, the winning margin might easily have been a lot further.

Jazz Messenger's detractors will point to the fact it was an egg-and-spoon maiden he won at Southwell, but to counteract that argument I fancy Butler's raider is an extremely progressive individual, blessed on this occasion with an extremely favourable high draw.

The seemingly unstoppable David Loder, currently boasting a near 50 per cent strike-rate, unleashes yet another potentially useful sort in the shape of Dawn Piper (2.45), a leading contender for the Constant Security Maiden Stakes.

Jamie Spencer is the man booked to partner Loder's beautifully-bred newcomer, who may have most to fear from Sir Michael Stoute's Fremen, due to be ridden by the in-form reigning champion, Kieren Fallon.

Lambourn maestro Barry Hills has his team in tip-top order, boding well for the prospects of Miss Grace (3.45) in the Ron Macdonald Birthday Handicap.

Apart from Henry Cecil, Hills has few peers when it comes to handling fillies and Miss Grace is yet another promising type to emerge from his famous academy. She really stuck her neck out when narrowly repelling the determined challenge of Danehill Lad at Lingfield in April, a performance that demonstrated admirable courage under the heaviest of pressure.

Allotted a rating of just 72, the official handicapper might have been a tad too generous with Miss Grace, who, according to my informants in the south, is highly thought of within the Hills' camp.

Judging by paddock appearance, virtually all of Mark Johnston's horses are coming on significantly for a run or two, in which case there are solid grounds for supporting Kahyasi Princess (4.45) in the closing Go Racing in Yorkshire Maiden Stakes.

She was taken all the way to Folkestone for her debut nine days ago and was far from disgraced when finishing third. Kahyasi Princess was patently in need of the outing, hitting a mid-race flat spot, prior to rallying in the final furlong.

With the help of the run under her belt and the invaluable benefit of actual racecourse experience, Johnston looks good to add to yesterday's sparkling treble across-the-card at Catterick and Epsom.

Tony Dobbin has a superb record at Perth and he could be in for a double via Laouen (2.20) and Brooklyn Breeze (3.25).

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