Tim Easterby, who saddles Bollin Eric in Saturday's St Leger, can start the four-day Doncaster meeting on a winning note tomorrow.

The Great Habton trainer sends out Artie to contest the £40,000 Tote Trifecta Portland Handicap and Robert Winston's mount is napped to prevail.

Winner of the valuable William Hill Trophy on Knavesmire in June, Artie ran a blinder on his latest start in the Great St Wilfrid Handicap at Ripon.

Drawn low, he 'won' his race up the stands side of the course, but finished third overall, beaten less than a length by Deceitful and Budelli, who raced on the far side of the track.

John Quinn's Smart Predator looked to be coming back to form when running well at York last week, and deserves more than a passing glance in this tough handicap.

But Artie, owned by Scarborough nightclub owner Alf Arton, is expected to show his rivals the way home.

Easterby can also have a big say in the £200,000 St Leger Yearling Stakes with Cumbrian Venture and Somnus.

This race, which offers a huge prize, is open only to horses which were bought as yearlings at last year's Doncaster St Leger Sales, and the Easterby pair have an excellent chance.

Preference is for Somnus, winner of his last two races, at York and Pontefract, and a horse still on the upgrade. Monsieur Bond, closely matched on form with Somnus, is another for the short-list, while the class horse of the race is undoubtedly Group-race winner Mister Links, who was only narrowly denied in last month's Gimcrack Stakes.

Kevin Ryan could hold the key to the opening Carrie Red Fillies' Nursery Handicap with Gaelic Princess.

This useful two-year-old underlined her well-being when scoring at Beverley a couple of weeks ago and remains on the upgrade.

Fergal Lynch is set to take the mount on Gaelic Princess, provided he has recovered from jarred muscles in his neck, the legacy of a recent crashing fall, and which caused him to miss his four intended mounts at Newcastle yesterday.

Alexander Three D, who scored with some authority at York last month, can follow-up in the £50,000 Rothmans Royals Park Hill Stakes.

Barry Hills, her trainer, has an excellent record at this meeting, and Alexander Three D will again be partnered by his jockey-son Michael.

Also worth noting on the opening day of the celebrated Town Moor fixture are promsing maidens Maghanim (3-55) and Silver Gift (4-25).

Racing will pay its respects to the victims of last year's September 11 terrorist attacks with a minute's silence at each of tomorrow's meetings at Doncaster, Epsom and Hereford. The first race at Doncaster, where the Royal St Leger Festival gets under way, has moved forward to 1.35pm so it should be completed by 1.46, when the minute's silence will be held.

Tomorrow's tips:

DONCASTER

1-35 Gaelic Princess

2-15 Somnus

2-50 Artie (NAP)

3-25 Alexander Three D

3-55 Maghanim

4-25 Silver Gift

4-55 Counsel's Opinion

EPSOM

1-55 Bahamian Dancer

2-25 Amount

3-00 Optimaite

3-35 Fortune Point

4-05 Bubble Up

4-40 Man Of The Night

Updated: 12:52 Tuesday, September 10, 2002