Ollie Pears, who, as a teenage apprentice back in 1992, won the John Smith’s Cup at York on Mr Confusion, can saddle his first winner on Knavesmire tomorrow.

Now carving out a useful niche for himself in Malton as a trainer, Pears saddles two runners in the opening totepool Flexi Betting Handicap, Rebel Duke and Ishetoo and preference is for the former, the mount of Barry McHugh.

Rebel Duke has been in tremendous form this year, firstly on the all-weather, and more recently on turf.

His latest run behind the useful Moorhouse Lad at Musselburgh was a rock-solid effort and, now back in handicap company, he is expected to run a big race. Not that Ishetoo can be left out of the reckoning after he won a heritage handicap on this course last May.

Tomorrow’s major showpiece is the £150,000 totesport Dante Stakes, which promises to be an informative race with the Derby in mind, not least to throw some light on the prowess of Workforce, winner of his only race as a juvenile.

Sir Michael Stoute’s colt won by a wide margin at Goodwood and, since then, has been the subject of much hype.

Having bypassed the Guineas to pursue a more traditional Derby route, Workforce will be the subject of close scrutiny.

He faces a stiff challenge from the likes of Chabal, ready winner of the Sandown Derby Trial, the unbeaten Aidan O’Brien runner Cape Blanco and the highly-rated Newmarket winner Coordinated Cut, but if Workforce is as good as his reputation would have us believe, he may be good enough to prove a leading Derby contender.

In the totesport.com Middleton Stakes, Midday is taken to get her season off to a winning start on her reappearance.

Runner-up to Sariska – also in tomorrow’s field – in the Epsom Oaks, Midday, trained by Henry Cecil, rounded off a successful campaign with a wonderful victory in the Breeders’ Cup Mares & Fillies’ Turf race at the Breeders’ Cup meeting at Santa Anita in the US.

With Tom Queally suspended, Eddie Ahern has the mount on Midday, who gets the vote ahead of the admirable Sariska, who is a much better filly on softer ground.

Midnight Martini, trained by Tim Easterby, won a major juvenile prize – the £300,000 St Leger Yearling Stakes – on this course last August. She should go well in the EBF Conditions Stakes.

Meanwhile, out-and-out stayer Bogside Theatre is napped to come up trumps in the Investec Handicap over two-and-a-quarter miles.

Michael O’Connell takes the mount on George Moore’s versatile six-year-old.


Racing selections

York (tomorrow)
1.40 Rebel Duke, 2.10 Midday, 2.40 Workforce, 3.10 Mull Of Killough, 3.45 Midnight Martini, 4.20 Elzaam, 4.55 Bogside Theatre (NAP).

Salisbury (tomorrow)
1.55 Contradense, 2.30 Reckless Reward, 3.00 Kirsty’s Boy, 3.35 Scorn, 4.10 Mujdeya, 4.45 Rio Mist, 5.15 Advertise.

Tomorrow’s other meetings: Folkestone, Ludlow, Newmarket and Perth.

Today’s meetings: Bath, Exeter, Fontwell, Perth and York.