LIGHTLY-WEIGHTED Anani (3.05) has the ideal credentials to lift this afternoon's £135,000 John Smith's Cup at York.

Ed Dunlop's smart three-year-old started the season by thumping Jebel Suraaj in a one-mile maiden at Ascot and has since followed by being placed in two top-flight handicaps, plus a Group Two event.

Anani's effort when third behind Jazz Messenger and Tiber on Derby Day at Epsom in early June was particularly meritorious in view of the fact that jockey Mick Kinane was still in the rear division with only two furlongs left.

In the event and despite vigorous late urgings by the Irish ace, it proved an impossible task to catch the leaders even though Kinane's mount was making up ground hand-over-fist inside the final 100 yards.

The form of that contest has worked out fantastically well and there was nothing wrong either with Anani's latest run at Royal Ascot where he finished fourth in the mile-and-a-half King Edward VII Stakes.

This time it was Frankie Dettori's turn to do the steering and he had Anani in the perfect position turning home, looking as likely as anything to win until the pair hit the proverbial brick wall when the chips were down on the uphill climb to the winning post.

In what may prove to be a case of third time lucky as far as jockey bookings are concerned, Dunlop having snapped up the services of Knavesmire specialist, Kevin Darley, who drops in for the ride over what may ultimately turn out to be Anani's optimum trip of ten furlongs.