YORKSHIRE-trained horses are currently going through something of a purple patch in the Steward's Cup having won the race three times in the past four years via Superior Premium (1998), Tayseer (2000), and 12 months ago when Guinea Hunter picked up the valuable sprint for Tim Easterby.

Tim tries to repeat the dose with Artie this afternoon, but I'm much more interested in another tyke raider, Undeterred (3.50), trained by Dandy Nicholls at Sessay near Thirsk.

As usual Nicholls has been busy mopping up a number of the major sprint races this season, including a famous 1-2 in the Group 1 July Stakes with Continent and Bahamian Pirate, both of whom he'd previously sent out to win successive Ayr Gold Cups.

And it's not as if Dandy doesn't know a thing about winning the Stewards' Cup either, he rode the winner, Soba, 20 years ago to the day, and trained Tayseer to collect the £85,000 Sussex showpiece in 2000.

Never short of serious ammunition in the speed division, Nicholls goes in four-handed for the 2002 re-run with Awake, Tayif, Hurricane Floyd, and Undeterred.

Trying to second-guess poker-faced Dandy's mind is never easy. However, when the draw was made for the six-furlong dash on Thursday, he said: "Undeterred was possibly the pick of his quartet."

He has been known to pull one or two legs in his time, especially where the racing press have been concerned, and it is a fact that the relatively inexperienced apprentice Clare Roche rides the selection.

But Undeterred, a fast-finishing third in the race last year and a magnificent looking beast to boot, is running out of his skin at present.

Best-priced with Ladbrokes at 20-1, Undeterred has a decent draw in the 22 stall, fast ground which he loves, plus the class to win the race - all he needs now is that huge slice of luck required to worm his way through the other 29 runners!

* David Elsworth yesterday played down speculation that retirement is beckoning for his veteran stayer Persian Punch.

He believes the strong early pace Richard Hughes set on his nine-year-old may well have contributed to the gelding's finishing last of nine in Thursday's Goodwood Cup.

And the trainer also fears his high-class stayer may have succumbed to a illness which has hit his stable.

''The fact that he is nine years old means that if he runs disappointngly people will talk about retirement," he said.

''But it was only one bad run - and to retire him could be premature."

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