Avonbridge can prove a tempting alternative to the favourite One Cool Cat in tomorrow's feature race on Knavesmire on the third and final day of the Ebor Festival.

A total of 16 runners have been declared for the £200,000 Victor Chandler Nunthorpe Stakes, and, while One Cool Cat is the ante-post favourite, there will be plenty punters willing to take on Aidan O'Brien's colt, a failed Classic contender earlier in the season, who is untested on easy ground and who has never won over five furlongs.

By contrast, Avonbridge is very much at home in the mud and is an out-and-out sprinter, as he is bred to be, being a half-brother to Patavellian, winner of last year's Prix de l'Abbeye.

A Group 2 winner at Chantilly earlier this season, a performance which came close on the heels of his narrow defeat by Frizzante in the Palace House Stakes at Newmarket, Avonbridge has since twice run well in defeat, both times on ground quicker than ideal.

Underfoot conditions promise to be ideal for him tomorrow, and trainer Roger Charlton has also equipped him with blinkers for the first time in an attempt to put an extra edge on him.

One Cool Cat returned to winning form over six furlongs at The Curragh recently, but that was not the strongest of races and this return to the minumum trip, plus the easier ground, may not count to his strengths, as talented a horse though he is.

The speedy Airwave and The Tatling, runner-up in this race last year, add further interest to this Group 1 showpiece, in which local hopes will be carried by David Nicholls' pair, Bahamian Pirate and Fire Up The Band, not to mention Tim Easterby's Fayr Jag, winner of the Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot in June, but probably at his very best on quicker ground.

Nap selection Avonbridge to catch the Cat is my idea of the outcome.

Soar looks sure to be hard to beat in the Jaguar Lowther Stakes, which carries £85,000 in prize money.

James Fanshawe's filly, recent heroine of the Princess Margaret Stakes at Ascot, is the winner of two of her three starts this season and looks very much a top-class filly in the making. Salsa Brava could be the one to follow her home.

Supporters of Frankie Dettori, on a high yesterday after wins on Sulamani and Rule Of Law, can further be rewarded tomorrow.

Dettori can win the opening Galtres Stakes on Selebela, a tough and consistent filly, trained by Luca Cumani, who has a fine record in this Listed event.

The progressive Take A Bow is fancied to defy a 3lb penalty in the Persimmon Homes Rated Handicap, while Middleham trainer Chris Thornton promises to play a starring role in the Kone plc Melrose Handicap with Lets Roll, who has never stopped progressing this summer.

Polar Bear, contrary to his name, likes nothing better than a slog in the mud, which could bring him bumper rewards in the Len McCormick City Of York Stakes.

Tim Easterby, who sent out Space Shuttle to win here yesterday, has good prospects of following up with Molly Marie in the Malton Nursery, the concluding race of the meeting.

Thursday's tips:

York

2-10 Selebela; 2-45 Soar; 3-20 Avonbridge (NAP); 3-55 Take A Bow; 4-30 Lets Roll;

5-00 Polar Bear; 5-30 Molly Marie.

Chester

2-20 Thunderwing; 2-55 Peter Paul Rubens; 3-30 Rising Shadow; 4-05 Coleorton Dancer; 4-40 Golden Legacy; 5-10 Dara Mac.

Tomorrow's other meetings are at Chepstow, Chester, Fontwell and Southwell.

Updated: 11:55 Wednesday, August 18, 2004