Racing by Tom O'Ryan
Tim Easterby, on the mark at York yesterday with Pipalong, can keep his Habton Grange flag flying high over Knavesmire tomorrow by completing a double with Marton Moss and For Your Eyes Only.
Marton Moss faces the starter in the £37,000 William Hill Handicap, which opens tomorrow's York card, and is napped to gain his first success of the campaign.
This smart three-year-old turned in a good effort from a poor draw at Chester last week to finish second to Blundell Lane over six furlongs.
Tomorrow he steps up to seven for the first time, and the extra distance is expected to bring further improvement.
With Kieren Fallon, who rode two winners on Knavesmire yesterday, again taking the mount, Marton Moss has an outstanding chance in a race in which Tim Etherington's Kayo should also figure prominently after two slick wins on the sand at Southwell.
For Your Eyes Only tackles a mile and a quarter for the first time in the Letts Diaries HBLB Rated Handicap and, weighted right on the basement floor, command plenty of respect.
Although he failed to win a single race last season for his owners. Channel 4 racing pundit Jim McGrath and his Timeform colleague Reg Griffin, For Your Eyes Only picked up a considerable amount of prize for finishing placed in several useful handicap.
There was much to like about his staying-on-third to the in-form Night Of Glass over seven furlongs at Thirsk on his reappearance, and he makes plenty of appeal tomorrow, despite the fact that he is unproven at the distance. Robert Winston, Richard Fahey's accomplished apprentice, again takes the mount.
Easterby's Bollin Joanne, twice a winner of valuable handicaps over six furlongs at York, should run a big race in the £53,000 Duke Of York BNY International Stakes, but my vote goes to Elnadim, who beat her at Newmarket last summer.
Elnadim went on to complete a hat-trick of successes, which included a fluent win in the Diadem Stakes at Ascot.
John Dunlop's colt has to concede weight all round here on his reappearance, which will not be easy, but he is a horse with the potential to become this year's champion sprinter.
The £110,000 Merewood Group Yorkshire Cup takes pride of place as the most valuable race on the programme, and Busy Flight may be the horse to pick up the lion's share of the prize money.
Trained by the in-form Barry Hills, Busy Flight finished a half-length second to Persian Punch in the Sagaro Stakes at Newmarket a fortnight ago when he appeared to be outstayed by the winner.
The switch back from two miles to one and threequarters miles here should suit him better and he promises to have the call over last year's winner Celeric.
Capri, runaway winner of both his starts this season, can oblige again for Kieren Fallon and Henry Cecil in the Michael Seely Memorial Glasgow Stakes while Herminius (4.10) and Calcutta (4.40) are two others to note.
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