KEVIN DARLEY'S season took time before taking off but the former champion jockey has now picked up momentum and he's well worth following at Ascot today partnering Spanish John (2.40) in the Group 3 Sagaro Stakes over two miles.

Darley rode the USA-bred colt to fifth place in the Italian Derby last year and although just coming up short of Classic standard, Spanish John went on to win a listed race at Newmarket in July.

Obviously Spanish John's long absence has to be a slight worry, nevertheless at least his trainer has a well-earned reputation for getting his horses fit on the home gallops, rather than using the racecourse as a testing ground.

David Nicholls launches a four-pronged assault on the seven-furlong £35,000 Victoria Cup led by last year's winner Scotty's Future, who has his work cut out to repeat the feat from an unfavourable high draw.

The low numbers give a definite advantage and in any case Nicholls' number string, Onlytime Will Tell (3.15), has been blessed with a much better berth in stall number four.

Nicholls left readers of Racing North in no doubt that Onlytime Will Tell (3.15) was one of his main hopes for the year and the progressive five-year-old immediately franked that verdict by finishing fourth on his comeback outing at Ripon last month.

Despite the size of the field, Nods Nephew (2.50) looks a 'good thing' in the 20-runner Ossett Selling Handicap at Pontefract.

Nods Nephew won five times at around one mile last season and was racing over a totally inadequate six furlongs when a close-up fifth at Catterick last time out.

Now back to his optimum trip, Nod's Nephew is worthy of a decent bet taking on a bunch of mainly modest horses in the £5,000 contest.

l Doncaster racecourse and trainer Andrew Reid have called on racing's regulators to accept responsibility for a juvenile contest that was run over the incorrect distance.

Owner-trainer Reid ran Pants in the EBF Carrie Red Fillies' Nursery, which was contested over six furlongs and not the advertised distance of six furlongs and 110 yards at Doncaster on September 12, 2001.

Officials at the South Yorkshire track have now amicably settled their differences with him.

However, both parties feel strongly that, ''where errors occur which are clearly attributable to officials or employees of the British Horseracing Board and/or the Jockey Club, the time has come for them to admit the position and be directly responsible for any appropriate compensation''.

l York racecourse will unveil its new 1,000-seater Ebor Stand on the opening day of the Dante Stakes meeting on Tuesday, May 13.

The stand, which includes viewing areas for standing spectators, bars, a bistro, a restaurant and private boxes, has been funded through an £8m grant from the Levy Board and a £12m bank loan.

It replaces the old County Stand.

The £20m Ebor Stand - which will be largely non-smoking - is one of several improvements designed to keep York at the top of the tree and prize-money for the 2003 season will be a record £3.8m.

l Croeso Croeso was the star turn in a sparkling 1,511-1 three-timer for jockey Seb Sanders at Bath when springing a 20-1 surprise in the feature European Breeders Fund Lansdown Fillies' Stakes.

She produced a telling burst of speed which took her to the front in the shadow of the post to claim the £19,140 first prize by a head from Dragon Flyer. Sanders had been on the mark earlier when Tamarella (7-1) got up close home to take the Sidney Phillips Entertain Enterprise Inns Handicap by three-quarters of a length from Blessed Place. He completed his treble on Absolute Utopia in the Lyons Davidson Selling Stakes.

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