WINNERS are usually very difficult to find at this time of the year at Leicester. Decent ground and the looming end of the season combine to produce massive fields, demanding hours of study by the form student.

But the local water board has come to punters' rescue this term. It set a limit for the season of 10 million gallons for the course's irrigation system, a figure reached before the last meeting there.

So today's going is expected to be firm, reducing the number of runners and making the fields far more manageable from a betting [point of view. One beneficiary should be Jucea, who has just seven rivals in the Lightning Handicap, a race which attracted 23 runners last year.

The seven-year-old has more than paid her way this season, scoring at Bath and Red car in the spring and making the frame consistently since. Though a beaten favourite at Bath last time, she is well worth another chance, as she was forced to challenge very wide in a big field and did well to be beaten little over three lengths into fourth place.

In-form Kieren Fallon should meet less trouble in running in this smaller line-up and Jucea can gain her third win of the year.

The Kegworth Conditions Stakes has cut up to just three runners, with trainers reluctant to risk their two-year-olds on very firm ground. Which gives Imroz every chance to continue the fine run of Henry Cecil's juveniles.

She looked a filly with the potential of Classic hopes Fiji and Sleepytime when running away with a maiden at Newmarket on her debut and was backed as though defeat was out of the question for the Princess Margaret Stakes at Ascot on King George day.

The trainer is clearly convinced Imroz is back to her best and this looks an ideal stepping-stone towards a bigger autumn prize.

Newmarket raider Florentino Diamond takes a drop in class in the EBF Fillies' Rating Related Maiden at Musselburgh and can reward Mark Prescott's shrewd placing by taking this prize in the hands of George Duffield.