Plus, the latest racing news from Tom O' Ryan."> Horse racing: York Races begin this week with a winning new look.

York Racecourse bosses have moved the winner's enclosure.

DIFFERENT VIEW: Joanne Gaddass, of the York Racecourse information team, at the new winner's enclosure Picture: Frank Dwyer

Gone is the old enclosure in front of the weighing room. Winning horses now troop into a new enclosure in front of the parade ring.

The change was made in time for the May Festival, the first meet of the year at York , which began today. The main event of the three-day meet is tomorrow's Grosvenor Casinos Dante Stakes, Europe's richest Derby trial.

A racecourse spokesman said today: "The old enclosure had lots of tradition attached to it but was quite small and you could only see the horses' tails.

"This will give race-goers a much better view of the winning horses.

Derby fancy to give York a miss

by Tom O' Ryan Derby hope Adair will not run at York this week.

The highly-regarded American import, second favourite for the Vodafone Derby in most bookmakers' lists, is entered in tomorrow's Grosvenor Casinos Dante Stakes and the Michael Seely Memorial Glasgow Stakes on Thursday.

But a spokesman for Adair's owners Godolphin said: "The Godolphin team have decided that Adair needs more time before his first race."

Lucky Fallon can beat all for star prize

by Tom O'Ryan

Beat All can live up to his name by seeing off all-comers in the Grosvenor Casinos Dante Stakes on Knavesmire tomorrow, 11 May.

The £135,000 showpiece race, the richest Derby trial in Europe, has often proved a good guide to the premier Classic, and last year's second and third, City Honours and Border Arrow, went on to occupy the same positions at Epsom.

Beat All, trained by Sir Michael Stoute, created a big impression on his return to action 12 days ago at Newmarket when beating the 15-8 favourite Mukhalif by an emphatic three lengths in a well-contested Listed race.

Pat Eddery, who was in the saddle that day, is now serving an untimely suspension which means that he will miss the mount on Beat All tomorrow.

It's an ill wind that does nobody any good, however, and Eddery's loss is Kieren Fallon's gain as he comes in for a lucky chance ride.

It will be a tough race, as the Dante always is, but Beat All is strongly fancied to come through with flying colours and book his Derby ticket.

Fallon can also capture the Grosvenor Casinos Middleton Stakes on the Henry Cecil-trained Jibe, a high-class filly who looks the type to develop into an even smarter four-year-old.

Mick Easterby can win the opening race, the Grosvenor Casino Newcastle Sprint Handicap, with Westcourt Magic.

The Sheriff Hutton trainer has made a slow start to the campaign, but he got off the mark with Jedi Knight at Beverley last Saturday, and Westcourt Magic, carrying the same colours of owner Ken Hodgson, was only just denied at Chester two days earlier.

Caught in the dying strides by Levelled after recovering from a tardy start to make the running, Westcourt Magic can go one better here. Lindsay Charnock again has the mount.

Another North Yorkshire trainer with high hopes of getting his name on the scoreboard is Nigel Tinkler, who saddles Sugarfoot in the Grosvenor Casinos Hambleton Rated Handicap.

A colt who improved out of all recognition last season, Sugarfoot landed three valuable handicaps, two of them on Knavesmire.

Michael Kinane, no stranger to the four-year-old, takes the mount tomorrow on Sugarfoot, who will be all the better for his recent pipe-opener at Newmarket. A bold bid is anticipated.

Peter Calver can keep the Yorkshire flag flying high, courtesy of Forgie in the Grosvenor Casino Leeds Handicap.

This course and distance winner made an encouraging reappearance at Nottingham three weeks ago when finishing fifth to Nichol Fifty.

From a stable, which is now in good form, Forgie is napped to win in the hands of smart apprentice John MaAuley.

The Grosvenor Casino Manchester Stakes has attracted a field of potential useful juveniles, but it would be unwise to overlook the claims of Saffizz from Kevin Ryan's prosperous Hambleton stable.

A winner in the mud at Hamilton on his debut, Saffizz has since run Pipadash to a head at Pontefract. Now weighted to reverse the placings over an extra furlong, he can also be a thorn in the side to the southern challengers.

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