A CHANGE of mind paid dividends for Ogbourne trainer Peter Makin when 12/1 Harvest Queen won the Listed Betfredpoker Superior Mile at Haydock at the weekend.

He said: We were planning to take on Echelon and Red Evie in the Group 1 Matron Stakes at Leopardstown but switched to listed company in the Superior Mile and the filly took advantage of the lesser grade to score by a length and a quarter.

I thought it would be an easier option to go to Haydock but it turned out to be quite a hot race and in some ways I rather wished I had gone to the Matron.'' He added: She is a class filly. I think she would have gone very close in the Princess Elizabeth Stakes at Epsom but I gave jockey Seb Sanders the wrong instructions.

In her following race at Ascot the going was terrible and she didn't like it. However she has come back to herself and will now head for the Group 1 Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket on October 6.

She has come out of the race very well and is an improving filly, she has finished close to the Matron winner Echelon and deserves her chance in a Group 1.

We hope the Indian summer continues and the ground doesn't get too soft or too firm, we were delighted with her victory and we are keeping are fingers crossed for a good run in October.'' The stable's good fortunes continued at Bath on Monday when the trainer saddled Heaven to win the first race on the card, the two-year-old Maiden Auction Fillies Stakes. His other runner in the race, Solo River, finished third.

Having told this column on occasions that Bath always seems an unlucky track for him, the trainer said that he is thinking about changing his mind. The filly ran third at the last Bath meeting and was sent off at 3/1 to win by a short head from Blue Zenith.

He added: Heaven does not really want the ground as firm as it was at Bath but there are not many of these maiden auction fillies races, so we had to run."

The horses are running well at the moment, we hit a dull patch in the middle of summer but they are all coming back and I just hope the season keeps going long enough.'' Another local trainer in form at Bath was Roger Charlton who struck with a double when Palm Court defied top weight in the two year old Nursery and Oystermouth, partnered by the Beckhampton yards apprentice Richard Kingscote won the five furlong maiden.

Britain's oldest Classic the St Leger takes centre stage at Doncaster this weekend with an expected 12 runners going to post for the £500,000 prize.

Former Manton trainer John Gosden is set to saddle two runners in the one mile, six and a half furlong contest, Lucarno the second favourite and Raincoat, the latter expected to stay the distance well and is somewhat a forgotten horse according to the trainer.

Ballydoyle trainer Aidan O'Brien is expected to be represented by four runners including the ante-post favourite Honululu, plus Macarthur. Acapulco and Mahler.

Newmarket trainer Sir Michael Stoute will attempt to win the only Classic that has eluded him and connections of his runner Regal Flush has stumped up £40,000 to supplement their horse in the field. Winner of the Old Borough Cup at Haydock on Saturday the trainer thought the horse will get the trip and that it was a worthwhile taking a chance, he will be ridden by champion jockey Ryan Moore.

Others in the field are the Michael Jarvis trained Veracity, Samuel, trained by John Dunlop and Celestial Halo, the mount of Frankie Dettori.

With the Irish trained favourite likely to be at short odds the columns each way selection is for the John Gosden trained Raincoat.

Other selections at the meeting are Sharp Nephew in the opener and Wake Up Maggie in the Group 2 Park Stakes. Chester, Warwick and Goodwood also stage meetings on Saturday plus an evening meeting under lights at Kempton.

Perhaps worth a bet at Goodwood could be Siberian Tiger in the Listed Stardom Stakes and at Chester Al Muheer could win the two year old Nursery.

Sunday meetings include a six race card at Bath with the first race scheduled for 2.25pm.