Today sees the British Flat season getting into full flow with the first Group race of 1999, the Shadwell Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes, a Group Three contest for fillies, which has thrown up some good sorts in the past.

However, the recent record of the race has taken a couple of knocks and the bare juvenile form of this field suggests that this year's winner of the Sagitta 1,000 Guineas may not be contained within.

Amazing Dream and Atlantic Destiny are opposed on the grounds that they do not appear the type to progress much from two to three.

Circle Of Gold's trainer Peter Chapple-Hyam is yet to get off the mark for the season, while Hawriyah and Ski Lodge scraped home in average maidens.

The two it might be most interesting to concentrate upon are Lamzena and Nouf, with preference just going to the former.

A daughter of Fairy King from the family of Irish Oaks winner Ebadiyla, she very much has the scope and size to make up into a decent three-year-old, and made the right impression in her only outing last season, staying on strongly to finish a good third in a good-class maiden at Newmarket.

Runner-up Candleriggs has already landed a valuable handicap at Kempton this term.

Geoff Wragg's string were woefully out of form last year, which makes Lamzena's form look all the more attractive.

Nouf's fitness is guaranteed, but the merit of the horses she floored in a Doncaster maiden last month is open to question. Even so, she must rate a threat.

Dashing Blue can take the listed NGK Spark Plugs Abernant Stakes.

Ian Balding's charge has been a regular performer at this level for the past two seasons and the pick of his form gives him every chance of landing this prize.

The six-year-old finished a highly-creditable third, beaten two and a half lengths, to Lochangel in last season's Group One Nunthorpe Stakes at York on fast ground - Yorkies Boy well beaten - and followed that up with a fine third from a poor draw to Easycall and Bishops Court.

Tedburrow took this contest nicely last year and comes on the back of an impressive success in the Cammidge Trophy at Doncaster.

However, he must carry topweight here of 9st 9lb, which means that Dashing Blue - fifth 12 months ago - meets Eric Alston's charge on 10lb better terms for less than three and a half lengths.

Henry Candy's Gorse is a sprinter worth following this season but will need plenty of rain to fall if he is to take a hand here.

The Showcase Handicap, the William Hill Stakes, can fall to Calcutta.

Barry Hills' son of Indian Ridge missed the second half of last season, but has had this race pencilled in for him for some time.

He seemed to be going the right way when breaking his duck in a maiden at Ayr, and makes his handicap debut off a fair-looking mark.

The betting market often talks volumes at this stage of the season and if there is anything working particularly well at home who could threaten the selection, the money is sure to be down.

Wontcostalotbut might be worth considering off a featherweight in the Gravesend Handicap at Folkestone.