Big Country came close to Listed glory last time out and he should once again be in the mix in the Sky Bet Go-Racing-In-Yorkshire Summer Festival Pomfret Stakes at Pontefract.
The five-year-old has been a real credit to connections, making steady progress up the ratings since finishing second in the John Smith's Cup at York last year.
He currently sits on a perch of 107, which limits him to just this kind of event, and after disappointing effort at Ascot, he bounced back with a fair third at Sandown at the start of the month.
Big Country adopted his usual front-running tactics that day, but he never really looked like winning and perhaps he just felt his Ascot exertions that day.
Michael Appleby has given him just over three weeks off the track since that run and Big Country should be nicely refreshed for a race in which he appears to hold all the aces.
Highly Sprung let down favourite-backers at Pontefract last time but can make amends in the tiesplanet.com - Ties For Every Occasion Handicap.
Les Eyre's charge has won two of his last three outings at the Yorkshire venue, taking a 13lb hike in the weights in the process.
He came unstuck in a competitive event last time but was on a quick turnaround, which possibly did not play in his favour.
Matchmaking can preserve his unbeaten record this season when he runs at Wolverhampton. Sir Mark Prescott's three-year-old chestnut is three from three this summer and is clearly a textbook improver from the Heath House operation.
His most recent triumph, at Bath on Wednesday, was his most visually impressive as he readily disposed of two interesting rivals by upwards of four and a half lengths.
Matchmaking is burdened with a 6lb penalty for the mymedsuk.com Online Pharmacy Handicap, but that is highly unlikely to be too much of an issue as the suspicion remains that he could be even better over this mile-and-a-half trip.
Hammersly Lake bounced back to winning form for the first time in nearly a year at the start of the month and can kick on again in the Fox Family Chase at Uttoxeter. He thrives on quick ground and proved more than capable of defying top weight when winning at Cartmel.
Sporting Life tips
PONTEFRACT: 2.00 Flawless Jewel, 2.30 Correggio, 3.00 Roddy, 3.35 BIG COUNTRY (NAP), 4.05 Highly Sprung, 4.35 Rock Force, 5.10 Scoundrel.
UTTOXTER: 2.10 Vive Le Roi, 2.40 Lord Caprio, 3.10 Monbeg Legend, 3.45 Theatrebar, 4.15 Hammersly Lake, 4.45 Grania O'Malley, 5.20 Aunty Ann.
WOLVERHAMPTON: 1.20 Coiste Bodhar, 1.50 Penny Poet, 2.20 Kersall, 2.50 Domestic Way, 3.20 Medici Oro, 3.55 Matchmaking, 4.25 Blyton Lass, 5.00 Miss Mollie.
DOUBLE: Big Country and Highly Sprung.
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