Racing by Tom O'Ryan

The busload of racing enthusiasts from Ryedale who annually make the journey to Beverley's evening meeting during Derby week are in for a bonus tomorrow night.

Instead of just one £15,000 juvenile race - the Hilary Needler Trophy, which is always the centrepiece of this fixture - there are two.

The Brian Yeardley Continental Two Year Old Trophy is also featured on the same programme, instead of being run on the Thursday afternoon, Beverley's second day, which has now been scrapped.

A locally-trained winner always goes down well here, and Tim Easterby's Flanders is the nap selection in the Hilary Needler.

This highly-regarded youngster was the subject of inspired support on her debut, over this course and distance last month, and duly justified favouritism with the minimum of fuss by one and three-quarter lengths from First Musical.

Bigger and better things are in store for Flanders, who looks sure to take all the beating in this prestigious five furlongs dash.

Jack Berry, with five winners at Catterick's two-day fixture last weekend, has his horses in tremendous form at present, and the Cockerham trainer looks the man to have on your side in the Brian Yeardley.

Berry saddles Rosselli, who could hardly have been more impressive on his recent debut at Newcastle, where he scored by a cosy two and a half lengths from previous winner Sammal. With John Carroll again in the saddle, he can follow-up.

Also worth keeping on the right side at Beverley are the Richard Fahey-trained Murphy's Gold (7-40), bidding to win for the second year in succession, and Brian Murray's Durgams Delight (8-40), who was just touched off at Redcar last week.

Tomorrow's afternoon action in the north is focused on Newcastle, where Anstand can defy a 6lb penalty in the Brandling House Handicap.

Lynda Ramsden's gelding landed some good bets when romping home by three and a half lengths from Pigeon (winner since) at Ripon last week and looks a horse who is one step ahead of the handicapper.

Golden Ace, sure to start at good odds, should not be overlooked by each-way backers, in the Storey & Parker Handicap, while the promising Altitude, from Sir Mark Prescott's shrewdly-run Newmarket stable, merits close attention in the Gosforth Park Classified Stakes.

At Goodwood, Kieren Fallon looks the jockey to have on your side. Fallon can take the opening honours on Eaton Square, who scored a convincing victory at Newbury on his debut at 33/1. He can prove that success was no fluke here, but not, alas start at such generous odds this time.

Fallon and trainer Henry Cecil can also lift the 49's Badger Ales Handicap with Baffin Bay, a ridiculously easy winner of a three-runner race at Haydock 12 days ago.

Carmarthen, a good second on his debut at Salisbury, is fancied to go one better in the Cafco Median Auction Maiden Stakes for Frankie Dettori and Ian Balding.

Connections of leading Vodafone Derby contender Haami today expressed their concern at the possibility of soft ground at Epsom.

The Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum-owned colt reappeared in the Sagitta 2000 Guineas and finished a creditable fifth to King Of Kings on good to soft going but had previously put up his only disappointing effort as a juvenile when conditions were soft.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.