Quiff, who turned last month's Yorkshire Oaks on Knavesmire into a procession, can crown herself queen of the stayers at Doncaster tomorrow by landing the betfair.com St Leger.

This would give trainer Sir Michael Stoute and jockey Kieren Fallon their first win in Britain's oldest Classic race.

Limited to three outings this season, Quiff has won two of them.

The most recent of those, by 11 lengths, was admittedly on pretty desperate ground at York and tomorrow's going will be considerably quicker, which is a concern for Quiff's connections and supporters.

That said, a drop of rain is forecast before tomorrow, which will aid the cause of a filly, who is hardly useless on fast ground.

She finished third in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot in June on going which was like a road.

A fast-improving filly, who promises to relish this trip, Quiff looks the one to beat the colts, who are headed by Rule Of Law.

Runner-up in the Dante Stakes on Knavesmire in May, and the Derby in June, and winner of last month's Great Voltigeur Stakes, Rule Of Law has enjoyed an excellent season. He will surely run a big race, along with Quiff's stablemate Maraahel.

Aidan O'Brien, like Stoute, is also double-handed, and I prefer Mikado over Tycoon, who was desperately disappointing on Knavesmire last month.

By contrast, Mikado finished a highly-creditable fourth in the Ebor Handicap, after being asked to come from last place on the home-turn. He makes plenty of appeal each-way at 20-1.

The principal honours, however, look likely to fall to Quiff as she bids to provide Stoute and Fallon with an overdue first win in the north's only Classic.

Bryan Smart's Bond City is napped to lift the Polypipe Flying Childers Stakes after an excellent effort to chase home the high-class Sundance at Ripon last time. Fergal Lynch's mount is well drawn in stall 10.

At Chester, a note should be made of Zomerlust's stablemate Jake Black, whose latest success came in the Evening Press Compact Handicap at York last Sunday.

Trained at Settrington by John Quinn, Jake Black escapes a penalty for that victory, in an apprentices' race, and looks ripe for a quick double in the Astbury Insurance Brokers Handicap. Danny Tudhope again has the mount.

Saturday's tips:

Doncaster

1.35 Reqqa, 2.05 Polygonal, 2.40 Welcome Stranger, 3.15 Quiff, 3.45 Bond City (Nap), 4.20 Wunderwood, 4.55 Zomerlust.

Chester

1.55 Rooftop Protest, 2.25 Simianna, 3.00 Dhualar Dhar, 3.35 Trilemma, 4.05 Personify, 4.40 Foley Millennium, 5.10 Jake Black.

Tomorrow's other meetings are at Carlisle, Goodwood and Musselburgh.

Updated: 12:15 Friday, September 10, 2004