IT’S a period of transition between the jumps and turf Flat seasons, with the Cheltenham and Aintree Festivals now in the books and just the Punchestown meet in a couple weeks’ time to bid adios to the 2008-’09 National Hunt season.

The turf campaign is just getting going proper but only with the Craven and Greenham fixtures--at Newmarket and Newbury, respectively, later this month--does it really take off. That said, however, we believe we’ve unearthed a decent bet in today’s feature attraction at Nottingham, the Listed Weatherbys Bank ’Further Flight’ Stakes over 14 furlongs.

The former Ballydoyle inmate Hindu Kush, who changed hands for 120,000 guineas last October, shaped with fair promise on his seasonal appearance while making his debut for current connections when a staying-on fifth behind Tastahil in a conditions’ stakes over 12 furlongs at Doncaster on ’Lincoln’ day.

Hindu Kush won just once last term, when defeating subsequent Secretariat Stakes victor, Winchester, in a Listed event over ten furlongs at the Curragh in June. But that doesn’t quite tell the whole story as the Ireland-bred bay colt’s primary function for trainer Aidan O’Brien last term was that of the role of pacemaker for his more illustrious stablemates.

The son of Sadler’s Wells ran a corker in the St Leger, when fourth of 14 behind Conduit, having fulfilled his pacemaking duties for the stable’s ’first string’ Frozen Fire. However, the final result at Town Moor failed to mirror the success for team Coolmore as in the Irish Derby, when Frozen Fire landed the main prize while his ’rabbit’ weakened to finish one-from-last in the Curragh classic.

Hindu Kush ran a solid race in the ’Leger’ as he set a strong pace early while harried by Warringer until well past the halfway stage. And to his credit, despite being headed over three furlongs from home, he stayed on again inside the closing stages to secure a minor share of the purse, while managing to fare best of the O’Brien-trained quintet.

Hindu Kush was competing over a trip (12 furlongs) short of his best on his debut for current handler David Nicholls ten days ago at Doncaster. But he did enough to hint that his stretching out an additional quarter-mile for today’s £40,000 assignment can bring about a more positive result.

Hindu Kush could be noted staying on with much purpose towards the business end, coming from off the pace after being held up early on, eventually checking in fifth behind Tastahil.

And with the benefit of that run under his girth, the cobwebs blown away, Nicholls’ charge can start re-imbursing connections his pricetag with a win here.

SELECTIONS: Brighton (G/F) RACE 14/10.20 --#3. King’s Majesty; RACE 21/11.20 --#2. Green Beret; Nottingham (Good) RACE 15/10.30 --#6. Hindu Kush