A race for the notebook closes the card, as several runners could become regulars on the northern scene. However, a close eye on the betting will reveal a few clues as to whether well-bred newcomer Flintoff is the preferred runner from the Richard Guest team, who are also responsible for sending out Burns Belle, who holds some valuable experience of the course. Bougoure is another to bear in mind as Sue Smith has a good record in races of this type. However, her charge was a big disappointment at Huntingdon last time and he arrives here with a little to prove. Similar comments apply to Our Men, who is a rare runner at the course for Charlie Egerton that arrives here with a very long absence to overcome. He has obviously encountered some sort of training problem and is probably best watched. Therefore, assuming there is sufficient confidence from the betting ring, we are prepared to take a chance on rules debutante Flintoff, who will not need to be anything out of the ordinary to play a leading role today. It is fair to say a bumper at Catterick would not have been the initial goal for this son of Diesis, as he cost ¿250,000 as a yearling. However, Flintoff has enough potential in his pedigree to suggest that he can take a race of this nature at the first time of asking and is in the right hands to be produced fit and ready to do so. Stablemate Burns Belle is the best alternative if the signs are negative for the main selection.
