Racing by Tom O'Ryan

Bahr and Midnight Line, who fought out the Musidora Stakes at York last month, meet again at Epsom tomorrow and can dominate the £200,000 Vodafone Oaks.

But there is a strong possibility that the placings will be reversed and that Midnight Line will turn the tables on Bahr after being beaten a neck on Knavesmire.

Midnight Line was forced to make her own running in the Musidora and this laid-back filly tended to race lazily in front and set herself up as a target to be shot down by Bahr.

Sure enough, the Godolphin filly, in receipt of 2lb from Midnight Line, took her measure in the closing stages and clinched the valuable prize.

Tomorrow the pair meet on level terms over a furlong and a half further, which may suit Midnight Line more than Bahr. Furthermore, the selection will have the benefit of a pacemaker in Trophy Wife, which will make life slightly easier for her and her jockey Kieren Fallon.

Not that the Oaks is a two-horse race. Tarascon, the Irish 1,000 Guineas winner, deserves respect, along with Cheshire Oaks heroine High And Low, while Cloud Castle is open to drastic improvement now that she steps up in trip and has the ground in her favour.

A fascinating race is in prospect but I feel that Midnight Line will win for Henry Cecil and Kieren Fallon, to follow in the hoofprints of Reams Of Verse, who won last year's Oaks for the same trainer and jockey.

Concer Un gets my in the Vodafone Distribution Handicap.

Stuart Williams' six-year-old, a smart performer at his best, made an encouraging reappearance at Goodwood two weeks ago to finish third to Chewit over an inadequate seven furlongs. Back up to an extended mile tomorrow, Concer Un will be in his element and has the class to defy top weight in this £25,000 handicap.

Cockerham trainer Jack Berry, who can do no wrong at present, is fancied to land the Woodcote Stakes with Queensland Star, who carries the colours of Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson.

Winner of both races today, at Newmarket and Chester, Queensland Star looks decidedly useful. Another success here will book him his Royal Ascot ticket.

The Vodafone Coronation Cup with a purse of £150,000, complements the Oaks on tomorrow's high-class even-of-Derby programme.

And Frankie Dettori has excellent prospects of hitting the bullseye on Swain, winner of this race in 1996 and a highly creditable short-head second to Silver Charm in the Dubai World Cup in March.

At Catterick, Nap selection Princess Natalie (4.50) can fulfil the promise of her recent respectable effort at Ripon when finishing third to Anstand with Pigeon (a runaway winner since), dividing the pair.

Critical Air looks good in the Ellery Hill Apprentices' Stakes coming from the Sir Mark Prescott stable, which is now firing on all cylinders after a very slow start to the season.

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