ROSEUM, who has got fewer miles on the clock than most vehicles have notched up during the fuel crisis, has the horse power to gain victory in the Ladbroke (Ayr) Gold Cup tomorrow.

The four-year-old has a 50 per cent strike rate from a career total of six races and looks the ideal type to land this £100,000 Showcase handicap.

As well as being lightly-raced, she loves soft ground and conditions look almost certain to be in her favour.

Roseum has only had one outing so far this season, but that has been a deliberate ploy by her trainer Rae Guest, who has had this six-furlong cavalry charge in mind for her for a while.

And her seasonal debut three weeks ago was timed to have her in peak condition for this her long-term objective.

Guest put her in a Listed contest at Newmarket where her lack of race fitness showed in the final furlong and she finished sixth of eight, beaten eight lengths by the winner Vision Of Night.

That was a race she probably would not have won even at her best, but as it was her first for 14 months then it was a first-rate effort.

Last season she won a Pontefract maiden on heavy ground before lifting handicaps at Newbury and Haydock.

As she is still relatively unexposed, the handicapper may have been lenient on her and she looks to have a tremendous chance off 8st 9lb.

The Silver Cup, a consolation race for horses who cannot get in the Gold Cup, is best left to Friar Tuck.

Trained just across the road from the track by Linda Perratt, Friar Tuck is another who relishes give underfoot and whose form in six-furlong sprints bares the closest inspection.

Winner of the William Hill Trophy at York in 1998 when he was also ninth in the Gold Cup itself, the five-year-old has been in good form this campaign. He has won three times and a fourth is quite possible here.

Island House can return to his early-season best to take the Listed Doonside Cup for Newmarket trainer Geoff Wragg.

The four-year-old grabbed two Listed events at Goodwood earlier and although he has been beaten in his two subsequent starts both on fast ground can come out on top helped by the expected soft ground.

Hurricane Floyd had no luck in running when fourth to Bannister in the Scottish Equitable Gimcrack Stakes but can show his true ability by winning the Group Two Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury.

Jeremy Noseda's colt had beaten Bannister by a length and three-quarters on his previous outing at Newmarket but was one and a half lengths behind him at York after being hampered twice inside the final quarter-mile.

Nooshman can enhance his claims for the Tote Cambridgeshire with victory in the Courage Best Stakes (Handicap).

The three-year-old, trained by Sir Michael Stoute, is suited by 10 furlongs as he showed when trotting up by seven lengths at Goodwood and when third to Sobriety in the John Smith's Cup at York. He was also second to Prince Alex back at the Knavesmire last month.

Umistim took the Horris Hill Stakes at this track last autumn and if back to his best has a great chance in the Dubai Duty Free Cup.

After beating King's Best in the Craven Stakes, Richard Hannon's colt wassixth to the same horse in the Sagitta 2000 Guineas - form that gives him the edge over his rivals in this Listed race.

Jardines Lookout, disqualified and placed last after passing the post first in the Melrose Stakes at York, can gain compensation in the Abu Dhabi Rated Stakes at Newmarket.