Sheriff Hutton jockey Kevin Darley bypasses tomorrow's Ripon meeting in favour of travelling to Newmarket and can make his trip south well worthwhile.

The champion jockey has a whole host of fancied mount at racing's HQ, including Saratov, a winner at York last month.

The Mark Johnston-trained three-year-old won a valuable handicap on Knavesmire by a length from King's Welcome under 9st 7lb. Over the same distance of a mile and a quarter tomorrow, he can follow up in the £25,000 Fairway Stakes.

Darley also rides Pharoah's Gold in the Breckland Bingo & Social Club Handicap over a mile.

Trained by William Jarvis, Pharoah's Gold ran a blinder at Newbury last month to finish second to Polar Kingdom in an 18-runner handicap over six furlongs on soft ground.

Beaten only a neck, the three-year-old looked an unlucky loser that day, having met trouble in running two furlongs before finishing strongly.

Pharoah's Gold has a different trip and ground to overcome tomorrow, but a bold bid is anticipated.

The promising Miss Teak (4-15) and Rich Gift (4-45), who makes the journey from James Bethell's Middleham yard, provide Darley with two other solid-looking chances on a day when he will be dearly hoping to add to his scoresheet.

Distinctive Dream is the selection in the feature race at Ripon, the £10,000 Tote Trifecta Sprint Handicap.

Alan Bailey's gelding will forever be remembered as the horse ridden by Kieren Fallon at Ayr which cost him his mount in today's Derby.

Fallon was deemed guilty of irresponsible riding when guiding the seven-year-old into a fast-finishing third place in Scotland and picked up a three-day ban for his efforts.

Ironically, Distinctive Dream ran again at Ayr the following day and, under apprentice Paul Hanagan, again got into trouble when finishing fifth in another sprint handicap.

Matthew Henry has the mount tomorrow and, with bottom-weight, Distinctive Dream is worth one more chance to repeat the winning form he showed at Doncaster before his ill-fated double-stint at Ayr.

Zagaleta gets the nap vote in the Middleham Trainers Association Handicap.

Andy Turnell's charge scored nicely at Pontefract recently and looks capable of following up in this stronger company. George Duffield, who rode three winners at Southwell yesterday, has the mount.

Sir Michael Stoute, out of luck at Epsom yesterday when Flight Of Fancy met trouble in running before finishing second in the Vodafone Oaks, has good prospects of a Ripon double.

The progressive Spring Sym-phony (4-25) and the promising Tarashani (4-55) can do the business in the hands of Fergal Lynch.

Tomorrow's Tips

Newmarket: 2-00 Flag Fen, 2-35 Pharoah's Gold, 3-10 Saratov, 3-40 Quest Banque, 4-15 Miss Teak, 4-45 Rich Gift.

Ripon: 2-10 Santibuiri Lad, 2-45 Ashgar Sayyad, 3-20 Zagaleta (NAP), 3-50 Distinctive Dream, 4-25 Spring Symphony, 4-55 Tarashani.

Updated: 11:36 Saturday, June 09, 2001