Johannesburg can confirm himself the top two-year-old colt seen in Europe this season by winning the feature race at Newmarket tomorrow, writes Tom O'Ryan.

Aidan O'Brien's multi-talented performer lines up for the £150,000 Middle Park Stakes and promises to be a class above his rivals.

Johannesburg has gained four of his five successes in Group races, the last two coming at the highest level.

The Prix Morny at Deauville in August hosted his latest appearance and Johannesburg produced a slick performance to score by one and a half lengths from Zipping, despite losing a shoe during the race and being slightly lame afterwards.

Johannesburg faces seven rivals tomorrow, the most interesting of which is Farqad, the mount of Frankie Dettori.

Trained by David Loder, whose juveniles have been in cracking from, Farqad made a pleasing winning debut at Newbury. The fact that he is now upped to Group One company looks significant.

That said, he will need to be extra-special to lower the colours of Johannesburg, who is going to take an awful lot of beating.

In The Green can take the opening honours for Richard Fahey in the Baileys Horse Feeds Nursery Handicap.

The Ryedale youngster got off the mark at Musselburgh on his latest start when getting up close home to beat the heavily-backed Artie. He should make a bold bid to follow up off only a 3lb higher mark.

Aldebaran, who is long overdue a winning turn, is napped to find opportunity knocking in the Unicorn Homes Joel Stakes.

Trained by Henry Cecil, the three-year-old has racked up a frustrating sequence of second-placed efforts, which includes being beaten only a neck by Mozart in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot back in June.

Aldebaran probably had his stamina stretched when foiled by Lagudin over ten furlongs at Don-caster last month. Back to a mile here, he deserves another chance.

The JRA Nakayama Rous Stakes brings together a whole host of speed merchants and none is in better form than The Trader, who is fancied to come out on top.

Michael Blanshard's three-year-old won a Listed race at Newbury 12 days ago and promises to take plenty of catching under Fergus Sweeney.

Astonished, trained by Lynda Ramsden and owned by David Brotherton from Whitwell on the Hill, looks likely to give The Trader most to do after wins at Nottingham and Doncaster.

The newmarketracecourses.co.uk Handicap, also over five furlongs, looks a good opportunity for Sir Desmond to regain winning ways.

Rae Guest's three-year-old tends to get a fair way behind early on in his races before finishing strongly. With Dettori on board, he has the right jockey to make him put his best foot forward at the right time.

Tomorrow's Tips -

NEWMARKET

1-50 In The Green

2-20 Aldebaran (NAP)

2-55 Johannesburg

3-25 The Trader

3-55 Dramatic Quest

4-30 L'Affaire Monique

5-00 Sir Desmond

Nottingham

2-00 Rayhan

2-30 Bowlers Boy

3-05 Prosperpine

3-35 Ela-Aristokratissa

4-05 Ashnaya

4-40 Rhaetia

5-10 Annadawi

Updated: 13:23 Wednesday, October 03, 2001