CLEVER COOKIE, who took on Group 1 company in the King George V1 and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot last month, heads to his local York track this afternoon in a bid to make it three wins from four starts this season.

The star of Peter Niven's small North Yorkshire stable, Clever Cookie bids for Group 2 honours in the Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup in which he will be partnered by PJ McDonald, who rode him to victory in Listed company on the course in mid-summer.

Graham Lee, Clever Cookie's regular partner is, unsurprisingly, on board Trip To Paris in this £160,000 event. Lee won the Ascot Gold Cup on the Ed Dunlop-trained four-year-old in June and has since finished third on him in the Goodwood Cup, beaten only half-a-length in a blanket finish with Big Orange and Quest For More, who are also in the line-up this afternoon.

Clever Cookie plainly faces a searching test against such formidable opposition, but he will relish the step up to two miles and easier ground after finding himself outpaced before staying on to finish fifth in the King George, won by Postponed. If he manages to win this prize on a course which has served him so well in the past, Clever Cookie will receive one of the biggest cheers heard on Knavesmire this week.

The mighty ACAPULCO puts her reputation on the line by attemping to add the Group 1 Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes - taking on older horses for the first time - to her Queen Mary success at Royal Ascot in June.

The giant US-trained filly has speed to burn and, because of her age and sex, receives the best part of two stones from her rivals, all hard-knocking sprinters and spearheaded by the likes of Muthmir, Goldream, Mecca's Angel and Move In Time. This is a five-furlong dash not to be missed.

The opening Sky Bet First Race Special Handicap looks tricky, but nap selection PENHILL looks sure to go well for Luca Cumani and William Buick.

Trained in North Yorkshire last season by James Bethell, who did extremely well with him, Penhill was a creditable runner-up at Pontefract last time out. This easier ground will suit him and this strong galloper has every chance of being involved in the business end of proceedings.

TALYANI will be a popular choice for punters in the Nationwide Accident Repair Handicap.

Trained by William Haggas, whose horses are in fine form, Talyani won easily on this course last month before following up in even more commanding style at Newmarket.

His handicap mark has been revised accordingly which makes life more difficult for him now. But he's very much an upwardly mobile three-year-old and he is expected to make a bold bid under Joe Fanning.

Richard Fahey, whose Third Time Lucky is one of the prime dangers to Talyani, saddles CONSTANTINO in the British Stallion Studs EBF Convivial Stakes and the newcomer is expected to go well, according to the Malton trainer, who made favourable comments about the colt in the Ebor Festival preview night on the course earlier in the week. This does, however, look a very hot maiden race.

Fahey also has a fighting chance with HEAVEN'S GUEST in the Sky Bet City Of York Stakes.

Tough, talented and reliable, the five-year-old enjoyed a big pay-day in a major handicap at Ascot last month and has since finished a very respectable fifth in the Group 2 Hungerford Stakes at Newbury.

This Listed event has attracted a strong field, which includes impressive Goodwood winner So Beloved, trained by David O'Meara and Salateen, York winner last month. But Heaven's Guest, the mount of Tony Hamilton, may have the firepower to withstand the opposition and add his name to Fahey's Ebor Festival scoresheet.

Today's tips

York: 1-55 Penhill (NAP), 2-30 Clever Cookie, 3-05 Heaven's Guest, 3-40 Acapulco, 4-20 Constantino, 4-55 Talyani.

Sandown: 2-20 Celebration, 2-55 Whitecrest, 3-30 Special Season, 4-05 Jordan Sport, 4-40 Mustaqqil, 5-15 Ixelles Diamond, 5-50 Monasada.