Richard Whitaker has high hopes for the horse that is spearheading this season's team, as Ray Gilpin reports.

TABARET did the Richard Whitaker stable proud last season and, having wintered well, he will be spearheading the Scarcroft trainer's team for the coming Turf campaign.

Whitaker, who enjoyed a good 2005 overall, said: "They all ran well for a long time, keeping their form to the end - in fact, I ran a few on the all-weather just because they were still in good heart, but to be honest I don't like bothering with banded racing.

"Fair enough, it caters for moderate horses, but they cost money to keep in training and the prize money is so poor that there is hardly anything left for the owner once all the percentages and expenses are taken out."

Tabaret is a long, long way removed from banded class and winner of two of his six races, he ran well in defeat on three occasions. The only time he did not reveal his true form was when unplaced behind Strike Up The Band in a Group 3 race at Goodwood. But Whitaker was able to reap some benefit from that.

He said: "The ground was soft and there is no doubt that he is a fast ground horse, so the going will help us determine where he goes this season.

"He is rated 103, which is a good mark in that I think he is far above that. But the problem is - where do you go with a three-year-old with that sort of rating early on in the season, as far as handicaps are concerned?

"The Field Marshall at Haydock would be ideal but the ground often comes up soft there at that stage of the season, so we might look at the Palace House (Group 3) at Newmarket, though he would have to take on older horses."

Looking further ahead, he said: "We will look at the good handicaps and the William Hill at York would suit him, although I think that is a 0-110 so he might be rated too high for that if he wins beforehand."

Whitaker, who has a soft spot for the Thirsk Hunt Cup, said: "We like it there, they look after us well and we like the Hunt Cup. We have won it twice and it would be nice to win it again.

"It could be a race for Alchemist Master. He would be a real nice horse if he had not had one or two problems, but he has a good turn of foot and is on a nice mark of 77, although soft ground seems to finds his problems."

However, Whitaker has another Hunt Cup string to his bow. He said: "Nevada Desert is genuine. He wins his races, and he ran a very good race in defeat when a close third to Krugerand at York.

"He won at Thirsk in April and ended up winning on the all-weather at Wolverhampton.

He has got bigger and stronger and goes on any ground - so if it was too soft for Alchemist Master, he would be a good substitute."

Sharp Reply started with Sir Michael Stoute and was a 15length winner in a 0-70 handicap on good to firm at Windsor in June. Whitaker said: "He had a few problems, but has been gelded and he has been doing some nice work - he could even be an Ebor horse."

Things did not work out for Just Waz last term, but he has tumbled down the handicap, has been gelded and a mile and a half looks his maximum.

Kaymich Perfecto has won twice at Redcar on fast ground.

Whitaker said: "He has plenty of toe and loves a straight mile or seven furlongs. He took six months to acclimatize when he came from Spain, where he won at Mijas, and so have Damika and Petros, who are in the same ownership and they have also won in Spain."

Moonstreaker, a half-brother to Vicious Warrior, is well thought of. "He has been put in at a rating of 68, but I think he could be a stone ahead of the handicapper."

Steel Blue seems effective from five furlongs to a mile, while Whitaker said of Neon Blue, who won at Redcar and York in the space of four days: "He loves to come from behind in his races and I think he is better suited by seven furlongs on a sharp track.

He will pick up his races and Hayley Turner seems to have the key to him.

"Vicious Warrior has his share of ability although does not help his cause because he pulls hard.

But his trainer may give him a run over hurdles in the hope that might help settle him down. If that works, there may be a race or two in him at distances of up to a mile and a half as he is on a reasonable mark.

"Vicious Prince, who has been schooled over hurdles and who likes a bit of cut in the ground, picks up a race every year."

Whitaker would have liked a few more two-year-olds, but said: "Ossie Blue is a half-brother to Tabaret and looks real nice, while Baltimore Jack looks an early type and we have a few more who look promising too but have not yet been named.

"Dean McKeown is stable jockey for most of ours while our apprentice, Michael Stainton, is a promising young lad.

"With a good background team, including my son, Simon, who is my assistant, and my wife, Liz, we are looking forward to really getting going."