Daniel Tudhope - Turf Topics: Escobar looks the best bet for more success

But I think it might be a breeze today with tens of millions of people tuned into the England v Sweden World Cup game.

I’ll be listening in as I make the 150-mile dash between the two racecourses.

With luck, I’ll be motoring north after adding another winner on to my seasonal total.

After a cracking Group 1 victory in Ireland last weekend, I have been averaging a winner a day and have six more chances of adding to that tally today.

I have three nice rides at Sandown and the pick of them is Escobar in the handicap at 12.55pm. Visitors to York might remember him from the Group 3 Sky Bet City Of York Stakes 11 months ago when he was trained by Hugo Palmer in Newmarket.

Since then, he has switched to David O’Meara’s yard and I have won on him at Haydock. I think he’s got a decent chance today over a mile against 15 rivals.

A more recent runner at York is the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Desert Diamond, who won the Infinity Tyres Irish Champions Weekend EBF Fillies’ Handicap six weeks ago.

Carrying the pink and green silks made famous by Frankel, she goes for the Distaff at 1.30pm after an encouraging fourth place in the Sandringham Stakes at Royal Ascot.

I’ll be behind the wheel before the Group 1 Coral-Eclipse takes place at Sandown where Classic winner Saxon Warrior and Dante winner, Roaring Lion do battle.

Masar was also due to take part before being a late withdrawal on Friday evening, but all three could cross swords once more in front of the Knavesmire crowd as all are entered in the £1m Juddmonte International on Wednesday, August 22, the opening day of The Welcome To Yorkshire Ebor Festival.

Meanwhile, back to today.

I take three rides at the evening meeting at Nottingham where the crowd will, hopefully, be buoyed after watching an England victory from a squad that could include Sheffield trio Harry Maguire, Kyle Walker and Jamie Vardy as well as Doncaster’s Danny Rose plus Barnsley’s John Stones.

Mon Beau Visage is the third of my trio and he needs to rediscover the form that led to him winning three times at Yorkshire tracks last summer.

He can be a tricky customer but wouldn’t be without a chance in the handicap at 7.40pm.

There aren’t many racecourses staging Flat racing which I haven’t been to before, but I make my debut at Fairyhouse in Ireland tomorrow. The track is, of course, most famous for the Irish Grand National, but, whilst it was fun to see the National Hunt boys race on the Flat at York last week, I don’t want to be jumping any fences, thank you very much!

Lincoln Rocks runs over seven furlongs in the Group 3 contest at 3.30pm and she will be aiming for a first victory since the British Stallion Studs EBF Fillies’ Handicap at York’s feature festival, last August.

I’ll be thrilled if this weekend’s trip to Ireland goes as well as last Sunday; when I popped over the water to win the Group 1 Juddmonte Pretty Polly, at the Curragh, under Urban Fox for Skipton-born William Haggas.

My one saw off the challenge of some highly regarded fillies, all entered in the Group 1 Darley Yorkshire Oaks on Thursday, August 23. I’ll keep the date clear in my diary!

The next racing at York is the John Smith’s Cup meeting on Friday and Saturday, July 13-14. Gates open on both days at 11.15am. Find out more at www.yorkracecourse.co.uk