John Berry is quickly acquiring a reputation as being an astute trainer of stayers and Bold Cardowan can support that theory by winning the Tote Lady In Red Stakes at Nottingham today.

This contest will be a thorough test of stamina in energy-sapping conditions and could come down to a duel between Bold Cardowan and Pretty Obvious. Bold Cardowan was much the more impressive of the pair last time out, winning by seven lengths from Pipa at Lingfield on ground so heavy that the two following races were abandoned.

The son of Persian Bold has improved rapidly since being stepped up in distance and with Robyn Brisland, who partnered him last time out, bringing his weight down to 7st 5lb, Bold Cardowan can follow up.

Pretty Obvious ended the winning sequence of Berry's Warring Kingdom at Newcastle last week and the filly, who has improved since joining Mary Reveley rates the main danger.

Tinker Osmaston also revels in the mud and looks to have found a winning opportunity in the David S Smith Corrugated Classified Stakes.

Ron Hodges' eight-year-old ran on the same Lingfield card as Bold Cardowan and turned in her best performance for some time, finishing third to Storm Cry over seven furlongs. Back at six furlongs, Tinker Osmaston can gain a first success since her reappearance at Folkestone in April. John Quinn's consistent Archie Babe looks set to be rewarded for some fine recent efforts with victory in the Nottinghamshire Handicap at Catterick.

The three-year-old, who scored at Redcar and Pontefract in May when the ground rode on the easy side, was disappointing in midsummer but bounced back with a good second at Beverley last time out.

This is a moderate contest which Archie Babe should prove more than capable of winning and he represents the day's best bet.

Mark Pitman's stable is flying at present and he can supplement a Chepstow treble on Saturday with victory in the `Salmon Spray' Handicap Hurdle at Fontwell.

German star Tiger Hill looks set to go on his travels again.

The four-year-old, who finished fifth behind Montjeu in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp on Sunday, has two races in the Far East as possible targets, according to trainer Peter Schiergen.

The 12-furlong Japan Cup at Tokyo on November 28th and the one-and-a-quarter mile Hong Kong Cup at Sha Tin on December 12th are both legs of the Emirates World Series Racing Championship.