JAMIE'S SPENCER'S presence aboard Partners In Jazz (2.25) sends out all of the right signals for a triumphant run in Sandown's £20,000 RBS Handicap.

Thirsk-based David Barron has a good record with Partners In Jazz down south, so along with the fact he's booked the 2005 champion jockey to ride, this gives rise to the belief a long-term plot is about to unfold.

Barron's plan of attack most probably has something to do with the inclement weather, which, while depressing fans of Test cricket, has significantly enhanced the prospects of success for the selection.

Seeking out suitably valuable seven-furlong prizes is also not easy, but since both the preferred option of easy ground, plus a race worth plundering, have been satisfied, Partners In Jazz represents an ideal investment.

Spencer's services are always in great demand these days and, as a result, his agent is able to cherry-pick what is on offer with regard to the cream of available opportunities.

Michael Bell's yard is one of the stables who do better than most at getting him aboard their horses, a prime example being Hoh Mike (3.35), a sprinter in possession of a singularly progressive profile.

Despite looking distinctly porky, Bell's powerhouse returned to action with a dazzling effort to cut down Hinton Admiral in a hotly-contested listed Ascot race.

Bell then sent Hoh Mike to Haydock, where he improved in defeat by keeping close tabs on the Barry Hills-trained Prime Defender, one of the better six-furlong merchants to be currently strutting his stuff.

The owner and trainer have stated an avowed intention to keep their speedster away from top-class events, a promise they've stuck to in the Scurry Stakes, which presents cash to pocket without undue exertion.

Sheikh Mohammed's wife, Her Royal Highness Princess Haya of Jordan, is not short of a bob or two, which is handy when it comes to acquiring bred-in-the-pink types such as Transcend (3.00).

The John Gosden-trained three-year-old is a half-brother to a very useful performer in the shape of Suggestive, an out-and-out seven-furlong specialist.

And it's that self-same distance over which Transcend is beginning to excel, romping to an easy-as-you-please victory in a Newmarket maiden at the back-end of May.

The son of Beat Hollow with the right-royal connections must now up his game if he's to prevail in more competitive handicap company, however everything points to an equally positive outcome.

Although the law of averages says Milton Bradley is going to scoop Bath's feature race, the Bathwick Tyres Swindon Handicap, predicting precisely which of his five runners will oblige is the tricky bit.

There's nothing in the rulebooks to stop trainers going in mob-handed, but for obvious reasons it's not a perfect situation in a sport under constant scrutiny on account of various betting scams.

For the record the one I reckon will take the money is One Way Ticket (5.05), who comes out best on my speed figures having tumbled to a potentially lucrative mark.

Sutton Bank handler Bryan Smart has snapped up Frankie Dettori to take the reins up on Fathom Five (7.45) at Leicester's evening meeting.

Still basking in the glory of sparkling mid-week Redcar treble, Smart's recent excellent run of results actually kicked off on May 18, when Fathom Five landed a huge gamble with a clear-cut Newmarket win.

The ratings' compilers came down on Fathom Five like a ton of bricks, nevertheless with Dettori's inestimable help, even an 8lbs rise might not prevent the combination following-up.

Another Newmarket scorer to suffer a similarly harsh hike was Oscarshall (9.15), who routed his 15 rivals at headquarters in the manner of an individual enjoying a sharp upward curve.

Oscarshall walked all over the second home, Summer Dance, that day, so having witnessed the latter collect at Newbury 48 hours ago, the form is gilt-edged.