SIX heavyweight three-year-olds flex their muscles at York in this afternoon's 145,000 Dante Stakes, normally regarded as a natural stepping stone towards next month's Epsom Derby.

Predicting just who will be trading punches at the end of the extended mile-and-a-quarter contest is the $64,000 question, but for my money I'll be looking no further than Celtic Silence (3.10).

Formerly in the ownership of Peter Savill, Sheik Mohammed's Godolphin operation snapped up the colt for an undisclosed sum following his impressive success in last year's seven-furlong Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Although on the face of it he was beaten a long way on his comeback outing in the nine furlong Dubai UAE Derby in late March, Saeed Bin Suroor's runner was doing most of his best work in the closing stages.

All five of Celtic Silence's rivals are potentially top-notch individuals, none more so than Sir Michael Stoute's Dilshaan, clearly a big danger to the selection having prevailed in the Group One Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster as a juvenile.

A centre field draw is always handy in sprints on the Knavesmire, pointing directly to the prospects of Smart Predator (2.05) in the opening five furlong Convergent Systems Handicap.

Loathed as I am to desert ten-to-follow star Tom Tun, the Official Handicapper might have finally put the brakes on his winning sequence courtesy of a substantial hike in the ratings.

Better in at the weights is Smart Predator (2.05), a very speedy front-running grey who might take some catching from stall number nine.

Three of the first four home in the Listed Dahlia Stakes at Newmarket re-oppose in the Middleton Stakes.

Ed Dunlop's Cayman Sunset came out on top in the first encounter, however the third-placed Flossy has the ability to overturn the form over today's slightly longer trip.

Chris Thornton's mare has already been a wonderful stable servant for the Middleham handler, winning countless times, including Doncaster's 1999 November Handicap. The terrier-like Mana d'Argent (4.40), who ran such a fabulous race when fifth in the Chester Cup, can consolidate that improvement by taking the closing mile-and-three-quarter Alcatel Handicap.

The four-year-old son of Ela-Mana-Mou not only stays trip well, but is also as game as a pebble once the heat is on.

Plenty of runners from our region make the long journey to Perth where Grey Expectations (7.15) can continue Andy Crook's purple patch.

Crook, who only obtained his training licence two weeks ago has already had a couple of winners, and Grey Expectations has certainly shown enough to account for a modest field in the lowly Black Bottle Conditional Handicap Selling Handicap Hurdle.

Crook's gelding is scheduled to be ridden by Liam Cooper, one of the most promising young pilots currently gracing the National Hunt arena.

l Bosses at Redcar have launched an investigation into the controversial abandonment of Monday's meeting - five minutes after the first race should have started. Chairman of the course, Peter Hill-Walker, said last night: "A detailed investigation into the events leading up to the stewards' decision to abandon racing is already underway. In the meantime, we will continue to make every effort to ensure the track is in the best possible condition for Redcar's next meeting on May 28."