African Dream can take advantage of a potentially depleted field at Chester tomorrow.

The three-year-old, trained by Peter Chapple-Hyam, looks likely to face only two rivals in the £70,000 Jardine Lloyd Thompson Dee Stakes.

This follows news this morning that the three other horses in the line-up - Always First, Andean, and Mutahayya - are doubtful runners after yesterday's heavy rain turned the ground soft.

African Dream has gone from strength to strength this season, winning his last four races, showing improvement on each occasion.

His recent defeat of Privy Seal at Sandown was his best performance to date and this talented colt can further extend his winning dequence tomorrow. Jimmy Quinn, his usual jockey, takes the mount.

The Betdaq Ormonde Stakes has attracted ten runners, the pick of which promises to be The Whistling Teal, who represents Geoff Wragg, trainer of the winner of this race for the last three years.

The Whistling Teal ran creditably in the John Porter Stakes at Newbury last month, finishing seventh in a race which has already produced two subsequent winners in Gamut and Bandari.

Sure to have benefitted from that outing, The Whistling Teal looks sure to take plenty of beating here, especially on a course which should lend itself to his telling turn of finishing speed.

With tomorrow's afternoon meeting at Nottingham under threat from the weather, and subject to a course inspection later today, Flat racing enthusiasts might be best advised to wait until the evening meeting at Hamilton.

Worthy of support in Scotland is my Nap selection He's A Rocket, who has found a rich vein of form recently, winning his last two races in good style.

Trainer Karl Burke, who shrewdly claimed him after the first of those victories at Folkestone, has since scored with him at Musselburgh. The Mitie Handicap over five furlongs offers He's A Rocket a hat-trick opportunity before he rises in the weights next week.

Tomorrow's tips:

Chester

1.55 Cape Royal, 2.25 African Dream, 2.55 The Whistling Teal, 3.30 Mouftari, 4.05 Raphael, 4.40 Trouble Mountain.

Hamilton

6.10 Stoic Leader, 6.40 Midnight Tycoon, 7.10 Celtic Heroine, 7.40 Time To Relax, 8.10 Par Indiana, 8.40 He's A Rocket (Nap)

l Tomorrow's other meetings are at Lingfield, Nottingham (inspection this afternoon) and Wincanton.

Updated: 13:48 Thursday, May 06, 2004