Johnston to keep ahead of rivals with River

Mark Johnston's Middleham yard boasts a strong bunch of juveniles this year.

Although the most hyped of them, Leo's Luckyman, failed to follow stablemate, Mister Cosmi, into the winner's enclosure at Glorious Goodwood earlier this month, another team member can oblige at Newbury tomorrow.

Scottish River came off worst in a close encounter with the David Loder-trained Meshaheer on his latest start in the Group Three July Stakes, but harried that precocious winner all the way to the line once headed. That was a big step up on his previous form and Johnston's charge looks progressive enough to deal with another alumnus from the Newmarket arm of Godolphin's juvenile academy, Mamool, in the Washington Singer Stakes.

Frankie Dettori's mount is clearly the biggest threat to the selection. He was unlucky to clash with another talented debutante, Right Approach, at his local track earlier this month but, given the pair pulled three lengths clear of Terfel, the form looks more than smart. Not only was that colt far more experienced, he had previously run a close second to useful Redback in a Newmarket Listed event.

The ground on Mamool's debut was probably a bit better than the official good-to-soft, but he'll encounter good-to-firm going in this Listed event. That, combined with the sense he'll come into his own over a mile and further, gives the nod to Scottish River.

Kevin Darley's mount has speed enough to be competitive over six furlongs at Pattern standard, has proven form on fast ground and looks certain to find further improvement stepped up in trip.

Funfair Wane can't be discounted. He will have strengthened and improved for a midsummer break and trainer, Mick Channon, has a typically robust two-year-old team. In Space has already been humbled by Scottish River.

In the St Hugh's Stakes, it's worth giving Swiss Lake another chance to fulfill her debut promise after disappointing so much in Ascot's Princess Margaret Stakes. She pulled hard that day and found nothing behind speedy Leggy Lou when called upon.