Robert Winston, who rode a winner but also received a ban at Pontefract yesterday, heads to Haydock tomorrow evening with every chance of maintaining his lead over Jamie Spencer in the jockeys' title race.

He teams-up with Cd Flyer in the MFS Security Claiming Stakes and is fancied to have the edge on the gelding, who is trained at Norton by Brian Ellison.

Cd Flyer, a previous winner over this course and distance, has not won for some time but this drop into claiming company gives him a good opportunity to get back on the winning trail.

Winston, who scored on Danceinthevalley at Pontefract yesterday, picked-up a one-day suspension for careless riding in the same race in which Malton jockey Paul Hanagan suffered a broken collarbone in a fall when his mount was brought down by another horse.

York-based Winston also has good prospects at Haydock aboard Commander Wish, who has run well enough in both his races to date to suggest he will go well in the whitetobrown.com Maiden Stakes.

Winston has another winning chance on Pomfret Lad in the £14,000 MTB Group Handicap over six furlongs.

Trained by John Quinn, whose Jake Black won at Pontefract yesterday, Pomfret Lad ran a blinder at Goodwood last week to finish a close-up second to Sierra Vista. A reproduction of that form would probably be good enough to elevate him to the number-one spot here.

Charles Darwin gets my Nap vote in the Countrywide Freight Nursery over five furlongs.

Michael Blanshard's speedy juvenile gained an overdue win at Doncaster last time, leaving the distinct impression that he can continue to pay his way.

Whatever Brian Ellison's fate with Cd Flyer at Haydock in the evening, he has further good prospects at Sedgefield's afternoon jumps meeting with King Eider.

This useful hurdler tackles fences in the Weatherbys Insurance Beginners' Chase, with top northern jockey Tony Dobbin aboard.

Dobbin can also land the John Wade Selling Handicap Hurdle on Ball Games, while Lahib The Fifth, twice a winner for Nicky Richards, can provide Dobbin with a treble chance in the Jewson Novices' Hurdle Qualifier.

Friday's tips:

Haydock

6.10 Calculaite, 6.40 Charles Darwin (Nap), 7.10 Cd Flyer, 7.45 Commander Wish, 8.15 Pomfret Lad, 8.45 Danebank.

Sedgefield

2.30 Wembury Point, 3.00 King Eider, 3.30 Ball Games, 4.00 Lahib The Fifth, 4.30 Now Then Sid, 5.00 Beaugency.

Tomorrow's other race meetings are at Lingfield (afternoon, Flat mixed card with races on all-weather track and turf track), Newmarket (evening, Flat) and Worcester (afternoon, National Hunt).

Updated: 12:03 Thursday, August 04, 2005