FRONT-RUNNERS appear to have a massive advantage at York nowadays pointing very strongly to the chances of the habitual trail-blazer, Tommy Smith (1.55).

John Wainwright's speedster has not seen another rival on either of his last two winning starts at Pontefract and Ripon, each time flashing out of the gates for a brace of handsome pillar-to-post victories.

Tommy Smith is worth forgiving his latest flop at Newmarket on Wednesday where he was slow to leave the stalls and lost all chance by the time the rest of the field had travelled 100 yards.

There could have been a measure of pilot error on that occasion, but I'm sure jockey Darren Williams won't be caught with his pants down this time by ensuring the selection gets his customary flyer from the gate.

In the later seven furlong Ramesys Maiden Stakes look out for a very nice Singspiel colt of Sheikh Mohammed's called Bourbonnais (4.35).

He's been travelling very sweetly on the Middleham gallops under the watchful eye of his astute handler Mark Johnston, who rarely misses the opportunity to introduce some of his higher quality juveniles on the Knavesmire.

By his own high standards Ed Dunlop is having a miserable 2002 campaign.

There have, however, been signs of a mid-season revival and Nasij (4.25) has the opportunity to maintain the momentum at Ascot in the Woodcote Stud Maiden Fillies' Stakes.

Nasij chased home Spinola on her debut at Goodwood, form which was franked in no uncertain fashion when the latter landed the Group 2 Cherry Hinton Stakes at Headquarters earlier on this week.

In-form handler James Fanshawe has been on the crest of wave over the past four weeks and there could be even more to come if Prins Willem (3.50) steers clear of trouble in the Paul Weaver & Co mile-and-a-half Handicap.

Unfortunately that wasn't the case at Newmarket recently when he was twice denied a clear run in a race he ought really to have won. Frankie Dettori was the unlikely villain of the piece at Headquarters - a rare slice of misjudgement by the normally reliable Italian.

Her Majesty the Queen is paying a brief visit to Beverley racecourse where they are running a special contest in her honour at 3.40.

It's a mile-and-a-quarter contest for Lady Amateur Riders, fancied to fall to Miss Opulence, who looks in different league to her mainly exposed rivals.

Finally to Hamilton and full marks to the local executive who have conjured up a magnificent £25,000 in added prize money for the Tennents Scottish Stewards Cup.

It's debatable whether the lolly will stay north of the Border with the likes of the in-form Tom Tun (7.30) coming up from James Given's stable in Lincolnshire to try and snatch the loot.

Tom Tun, always a favourite of this column when trained by the former York-based trainer, Julie Craze, is a previous course and distance winner and did his cause no harm at all by running a superb second in red-hot handicap in Ireland last time out.

* Noble Locks was a 3-1 winning nap for JANUS (Colin Woods) yesterday, who also included 40-1 Folkestone beauty amongst his winning selections.

* Mick Channon's Mail The Desert (Steve Drowne) finished fourth in the Listed Prix Roland de Chambure over seven furlongs at Deauville yesterday.

The West Ilsley-trained juvenile was beaten just over eight lengths by the impressive Six Perfections from the Pascal Bary yard.

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