AS far as punters are concerned, Reel Buddy (2.30) hasn't exactly lived up to his name lately, but the tide may well be about to turn in the £35,000 Group 3 Hungerford Stakes at Newbury today.

Having enjoyed a successful spring campaign, Richard Hannon's classy three-year-old has met defeat on four separate occasions.

And his backers were left licking their wounds at Goodwood last time out where he was the subject of an arguably injudicious ride by Richard Hughes, who bodged up big time by overdoing the waiting tactics.

Some would say rather unkindly that it is a blessing in disguise to see Hughes now claimed by his retained owner, Khaled Abdulla, to ride Tillerman.

I for one am certainly not complaining, especially as his replacement is none other than the 11 times former champion, Pat Eddery.

Few jockeys ride Newbury better than the evergreen Irishman, poised to make amends for Reel Buddy's latest unfortunate eclipse.

In the following Stan James-sponsored Group 2 £60,000 Geoffrey Freer Stakes, Eddery has the right sort of ammunition to complete a valuable double aboard Millenary (3.00).

Last year's St Leger hero has been in prime form this term, opening his account with a power-packed win at Newmarket. As if that performance wasn't good enough, some speed figure experts reckon his most recent fifth placing to Galileo in the King George at Ascot was a career best effort.

The Andy Turnell-trained The Names Bond, who heads for the opening Juvenile Novices' Hurdle at Bangor, looks a useful recruit to the National Hunt arena.

He made a pleasing debut over the sticks at Uttoxeter, chasing home Jonjo O'Neill's Quazar. With nothing of the calibre of the latter in this afternoon's line-up, The Names Bond (1.35) appears to be the proverbial steering job.

Amateur jockey Nicky Tinkler is beginning to make his mark both on the level and over jumps.

He teams up with John Mackie's consistent and well-handicapped ten-year-old, Star Selection (2.05), a leading player in the Discover Racing Amateur Riders Handicap.

Kate Milligan broke a losing run stretching back over a year when Piccadilly prevailed at Southwell on Monday.

Such successes are often a cue for the floodgates to open highlighting the prospects of Perth-bound, Arthurs Kingdom (4.35).

The five-year-old is gradually getting the hang of things over timber, suggesting he can make it in two wins within the space of week for Kate, who has recently switched yards from East Witton to Middleham.

Old favourite Yavana's Pace (7.50), the top-rated middle-distance nine-year-old gelding in Europe, faces a simple task at Haydock's evening meeting.

Mark Johnston's veteran finally gets the easy surface he so desperately needs in the £10,000 Barry Case Plant Hire Conditions Stakes.

Unfortunately Yavana's Pace will not start at a working man's starting price, unlike Smooth Sailing (6.10), fancied to defy top-weight in the St Catherine's Handicap at Lingfield.

Kevin McAuliffe's son of Bevelled was returning from a two-month absence when finishing a close-up fifth at Leicester last Sunday.

Finally to Wolverhampton where from a staggering six original entries, Sir Mark Prescott runs just one, Crow Wood, in the EBF Maiden Stakes.

He's bound to go very close, although may be hard pushed to contain Branston Tiger (7.30), marginally preferred on the evidence of a brace of useful outings on turf at Warwick and Newcastle.