SHERIFF Hutton jockey Kevin Darley will be hoping to make home advantage pay tomorrow when the Evening Press Raceday gets underway at York.

Darley is streets ahead in the jockeys' championship race and will be wanting to press home his advantage at the Knavesmire course's inaugural Sunday meeting.

The 40-year-old had dismissed his title chances as slim just over a month ago, but has since extended his lead in the table to 11 going into yesterday's racing, having ridden 118 winners to main rival Pat Eddery's 107.

He had told the Evening Press that if he was still in touch by the end of the night meeting season, in the third week in August, he would have a realistic chance of claiming his first-ever champion jockey title.

And now, with the championship run-in heading into the home straight, his hopes must be high.

Claiming not to have the same big-yard backing as Eddery and third-in-the-table Richard Quinn, Darley had told the Evening Press that his main rivals had better chances of getting aboard top rides and thus pushing their title claims.

However, Darley's hectic schedule - he has ridden in more than 700 races this season alone - has seen him pick up scores while his leading contenders rested.

Furthermore, he looks set to add to his scorecard at tomorrow's big event, which is being sponsored by the Evening Press.

Darley is due to ride in the first seven of the eight scheduled races, with an excellent chance of adding to his scorecard coming in the opening York Swallow Hotel Nursery Handicap aboard Time To Remember, trained by Great Habton's Tim Easterby.

He also has strong claims riding Virgin Soldier and Tefi in the Minster Jaguar York Stakes and York-England.com Maiden Auction Stakes division one, respectively, while neither Bacchus nor Style Dancer can be ruled out in their respective races.