KASTORIA can fly the flag for Ireland in tomorrow's Emirates Airline Yorkshire Cup on the third and final day of York's May Festival.

The John Oxx-trained filly is a model of consistency. Having run only seven times in her life, she has won three and finished second four times, proving herself to be as talented as she is progressive.

Knavesmire racegoers will need no introduction to Kastoria, who won a Listed race on the course last August. She subsequently proved herself in tougher company, finishing second in a Group 2 contest at Doncaster's St Leger meeting before rounding off the campaign with a cracking effort in another Group 2 race at Longchamp where she failed by only three-parts of a length to get the better of Oiseau Rare.

Kastoria started this season on a winning note, at Navan last month when she comfortably justified odds-on favouritism in Listed company.

Still on the upgrade, she merits serious attention in this Group 2 contest, especially with the likes of Day Flight, Sergeant Cecil, last year's Ebor winner, and Collier Hill in the field.

Silk Blossom can get punters off to a good start in the Langleys Solicitors Marygate Stakes.

Barry Hills' filly created an excellent impression when making a winning debut at Newmarket's Craven meeting and has the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot next month on her list of objectives.

A daughter of Barathea, Silk Blossom looks an exciting prospect and a second success here would confirm her Royal Ascot ticket.

Dazzling Bay makes plenty of appeal in the Countrywide Freight Handicap.

Tim Easterby's gelding, winner of the William Hill Trophy on this course as a three-year-old, ended a three-year barren spell in fine style at Ripon last week.

That victory, which can only have bolstered his confidence, having not had his head in front for so long, may well have lit the fire in Dazzling Bay once again and a 3lb penalty hardly looks enough to scupper his chances tomorrow.

Peppertree Lane, another North Yorkshire-trained horse, will be a popular choice in the VCCasino.com Handicap.

Owned by Peter Savill and trained by Mark Johnston at Middleham, the three-year-old, who showed plenty of promise last season, made a winning reappearance at Ripon where the style of his victory left the suggestion that he was a horse on the threshold of going places.

A follow-up success tomorrow would not come as a great surprise.

Racing selections

TONIGHT

Carlisle

Selected races: 8.00 Fayr Sky (Nap), 8.30 Quantica

Today's other meetings are at Ludlow (evening), Perth, Salisbury and York.

TOMORROW

York

Selected races: 1.45 Silk Blossom, 2.15 Peppertree Lane, 2.45 Kastoria, 3.50 Dazzling Bay.

Tomorrow's other meetings are at Aintree (evening), Hamilton (evening), Newbury and Nottingham.

Updated: 12:00 Thursday, May 18, 2006