Paul Hanagan - Turf Topics: Opportunities knock to land several York winners

A strong team of runners has been put together by Richard Fahey – including a daughter of Frankel – as we look forward to trying to take a share of the £500,000-plus in prize-money on offer before the final race tomorrow.

While I am in action at Knavesmire today, I head to Suffolk tomorrow for the Darley July Cup.

At York the £200,000 Saturday highlight – played out in front of the sort of enthusiastic crowd that has cheered the race since 1960 – is going to be the John Smith’s Cup.

Richard Fahey’s contender for the 58th running of the longest sponsored Flat race anywhere in the world is Another Touch, with Tony Hamilton sitting in the saddle.

As always, this will be a fiercely competitive contest and Musley Bank horse is likely to be sent off at a decent price – maybe 14-1 or 16-1 – judging by the ante-post market.

He ran well during the Dante Festival and returns to Knavesmire, certainly with a good each-way shout.

Back to this afternoon and my best chance is the aforementioned daughter of Frankel – that’s Queen Kindly who goes for the big race, the Group 3 Unibet Summer Stakes.

I’ve ridden her in work lately and her quality struck me.

Last summer at York she won the Group 2 Sky Bet Lowther Stakes over today’s six furlongs. I think that distance will benefit a filly that was mid-division in the QIPCO 1000 Guineas over a longer trip.

I head down the A1 tomorrow, but York form is coming with me to the July Course in Newmarket.

Marie Of Lyon won her first ever race as a two-year-old on Knavesmire 13 months ago.

She hasn’t won since then, but the 2.15pm handicap for fillies could see her back in the winners’ enclosure again.

Withernsea is another horse that I like.

He ran a fine race at Royal Ascot and will put his best foot forward in the competitive Bunbury Cup at 3.25pm.

Great Prospector won for me on his debut at Nottingham and he goes straight into Group 2 company in the Superlative Stakes at 4pm.

That could prove too big a step up at one go perhaps, but he’ll run a good race.

Richard Fahey goes with two in the Darley July Cup itself in what is a really hot race.

I’m on Growl who needs to behave himself in the stalls after rearing at Royal Ascot. A rug will be used to keep him calm.

While Aidan O’Brien’s undefeated Caravaggio is a warm order, key to the outcome would be York’s Group 2 Duke Of York Clipper Logistics Stakes at the Dante Festival.

Several horses re-oppose, including my mount and the winner on Knavesmire, Tasleet, who is stabled in Newmarket with Yorkshireman-in-exile William Haggas.

Expect to see the top perfomers in York’s own speed challenge, the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes on 25 August.

The John Smith’s Cup Meeting is today and tomorrow. Tickets available on the gates from 11.15am. Find out more about York at www.yorkracecourse.co.uk.