Racing by Tom O' Ryan

Kevin Darley, who rode five winners on Saturday - three at Thirsk in the afternoon and two at Hamilton's evening - and followed up in yesterday's feature race at Ripon on Perryston View before completing a further double at Carlisle last night, can continue his purple patch at Pontefract tomorrow.

The Sheriff Hutton jockey teams up with Bay Of Islands in the £10,000 Rogerthorpe Manor Hotel Handicap, and this smart six-year-old is napped to defy top weight.

Trained at Newmarket by Dave Morris, Bay Of Islands got off the mark for the season in fine style at Doncaster two outings ago and has since finished a creditable runner-up to Perfect Paradigm in the Old Newton Cup at Haydock.

He can get back in the wining groove here and continue Kevin Darley's excellent run of success, which has been largely confined to home soil.

In Germany on Sunday, Darley was delighted to win a Group 1 race on Artan, but within minutes of being announced the winner, the result was amended when it was discovered that Artan had in fact been beaten a nose in the valuable event. Worse was to follow.

Darley had a fall from his mount in the last race and eventually missed his evening flight back from Munich to Manchester.

It was only at lunchtime yesterday that the journey was finally completed and Darley missed his first two mounts (both successful) at Ripon before guiding Perryston View in the Showcase race.

Back to the Pontefract tomorrow, and Goretski is worth supporting in the Chaplins Club Handicap after two recent wins at Southwell, plus a victory over this course and distance earlier in the season. Coincidentally, Goretski, trained by Nigel Tinkler, carries the colours of Peter Savill, who was also the owner of prolific winner Chaplins Club, after whom this race in named.

With Les Eyre's horses back in form after a lean spell. the smart Cashmere Lady deserves attention in the Bollinger Champagne Challenge Series Handicap for amateur riders, while the Pat Eddery-ridden Shogun has excellent prospects in the Matty Bown Memorial Maiden Stakes.

Newcastle also stages a six-race meeting. Prince Consort, who created a good impression on his debut when narrowly beaten by the speedy Cartmel Park at Musselburgh, will not be short of supporters in the Newcastle Median Auction Maiden Stakes.

Court Express gave notice his winning turn was near when fourth to Murphy's Gold at Beverley last week. Tim Etherington's charge may find opportunity knocking in the St Modwen Handicap in the hands of apprentice Adrian Nicholls.

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