DAVID BARRON could do with a high-profile horse to advertise his talents and How's She Cuttin' is the just the type to put him back on the map.

The Thirsk-based trainer has been short of firepower just lately, but he has won some big sprints at York in the past and How's She Cuttin' (3.55) possesses speed to burn.

Six wins and three seconds is a strike-rate few thoroughbreds can match, however that's the superb record boasted by the mare, who is a model of consistency.

As a discerning punter you've also got to like the fact she's lightly- weighted, plus has the assistance of the massively underrated Paul Fessey aboard.

My gut feeling is that Barron has specifically laid the five-yearold out for the £50,000 showpiece, which has the potential of a lucrative pay-day at rewarding odds.

The Barron/Fessey combo' are additionally on parade with the talented yet enigmatic Trance, who lines up for the closing staying event.

Twelve months ago Trance was scoring at Ayr off a mark of 79, nowadays though he's right down to 65 following several mulish displays.

Not least of those shocking performances was his latest at Nottingham, where the welldodgy gelding didn't try an inch and finished last of 11.

On the flip side of the coin the chestnut has won seven races in all, proof if proof were needed that he can turn on the style when in the mood.

Nothing breeds success like success and Michael Dods is flying having knocked in a fantastic across-the-card treble at Ayr and Newcastle on Thursday.

Michael runs two in the seven furlong Handicap, Blindspin (2.50) and The Oil Magnate, although even he's "not sure"

which one will come on top.

"Let's hope they both run well, Blindspin has proved he can do it in handicaps by finishing third from a bad draw off his current mark, "The Oil Magnate on the other hand has only won a maiden on genuinely soft-ground, albeit very impressively," explained the ever-helpful Dods.

"Our horses have been running well from the start of the season and we've still got some nice ones to run, it's just a case of finding the right ground for them" he added.

For the purposes of the tips box I'm marginally in the Blindspin camp, but it's entirely possible that The Oil Magnate has the more scope for improvement.

The race-planning authorities have come under attack from all quarters of late, and once again they've got it wrong by allowing York and Doncaster on the same day.

So close geographically it seems a half-witted situation, nonetheless one or two good horses turn out on the Town Moor, notably the unbeaten Wingbeat (3.40).

Yet to have his colours lowered at either Yarmouth or Newmarket, Wingbeat looks ready for the step up in class in the "Rovers Are Up" Classified Stakes.

The earlier EBF Maiden Stakes should get devotees of two-yearold racing purring, such is the strength-in-depth of the 16-runner line-up.

I'm going to chicken-out and select the one with experience, Seaway, who probably would have won his recent Haydock debut but for hanging all over the shop.

Having given Seaway (2.35) the nod, be sure to set the video since Sir Michael Stoute, Jeremy Noseda, Richard Hannon, plus Mark Johnston, all run promising newcomers.

Ronnie Barr isn't exactly a household name, however the Seamer-near-Stokesley handler has his small string in terrific fettle.

One of the game's great enthusiasts, Ronnie appears to have found the key to Babyshambles (4.50), successful in three of his last five outings.

The latest of those triumphs came at Beverley where he saw off 15 opponents with a sustained burst of acceleration once given the office at the furlong pole.

A 7lbs penalty for that win is not harsh, so Babyshambles could so easily go in again while his tail is well and truly up.