Johnny Murtagh is the man to follow on Knavesmire tomorrow as he bids to land the two feature races on the card.

The brilliant Irish jockey, now based in Newmarket, teams-up with Defining in the £200,000 totetsport Ebor Handicap and will also be aboard Ouija Board, a lucky chance mount in the £250,000 Aston Upthorpe Yorkshire Oaks.

Murtagh could reasonably have expected to have watched the Yorkshire Oaks from the comfort of the jockeys' room, but he has been called-up as an 11th hour deputy for Kieren Fallon, the filly's regular rider, who has been claimed by his retainer Sir Michael Stoute to partner Quiff in tomorrow's Group 1 showpiece.

Owned by Lord Derby - and the only horse he has in training - Ouija Board has been placed by trainer Ed Dunlop to win all her three races this season. More pertinently, that scoresheet includes the English-Irish Oaks double, which Ouija Board completed in the style of a princess.

There is every reason to believe that she can now complete the Oaks hat-trick, despite taking on older horses for the first time. Fallon's loss promises to prove Murtagh's gain in this ten-runner contest.

A total of 22 runners, a maximum field, will line-up for the Ebor and Defining, who is drawn favourably closest to the inside rail, is napped to oblige for Murtagh and his main trainer James Fanshawe, who has already enjoyed a vintage campaign.

A tough and hardened handicapper, able to cope with most types of ground, Defining has run well this season without getting his head in front, not least in the Northumberland Plate on his latest start, when he just failed to last home the two miles.

Tomorrow's shorter distance is ideal for him and Defining is taken to have the edge over Luca Cumani's pair Mephisto, the ante-post favourite, and Loves Travelling, and also Mikado, an interesting three-year-old from the Aidan O'Brien stable, who could prove to be well handicapped.

The Scottish Equitable Gimcrack Stakes offers County Durham trainer Howard Johnson and his main patron Graham Wylie a good opportunity of hitting the big time with Abraxas Antelope.

Unbeaten in two starts and a horse who revels with some juice in the ground, the juvenile is pretty smart. Whether he will have the basic raw speed to beat these rivals as he steps up in class, is anyone's guess, but under the prevailing conditions, he is fancied to run a big race. Robert Winston again has the mount.

John Quinn, who is enjoying a fine season, could well enjoy a double. He has good prospects with the tough and consistent Bigalos Bandit in the Costcutter Roses Stakes, and and also with Icenaslice in the Eventmasters Falmouth Handicap.

The latter has progressed well this season, goes on easy ground and remains open to further improvement.

The opening Motability Supported By Royal & Sun Alliance Rated Handicap looks a tricky start to the day for punters. Shahzan House is awarded the vote after a series of solid efforts in similar handicap company this season. His winning turn can surely not be delayed much longer.

Wednesday's tips:

York

1-20 Shahzan House; 1-50 Abraxas Antelope; 2-25 Defining (NAP); 3-00 Ouija Board; 3-35 Bigalos Bandit; 4-10 Rajwa; 4-45 Icenaslice.

Kempton

5-25 Daniel Thomas; 5-55 Thomas Lawrence; 6-25 King's Caprice; 6-55 Zarzu; 7-25 Pink Sapphire; 7-55 Carrowdore.

Tomorrow's other meetings are at Carlisle, Nottingham and Worcester

Updated: 12:19 Tuesday, August 17, 2004