IT’S back. York’s 2015 campaign opens with a bang this afternoon, courtesy of the start of the £1 million three-day Dante Festival - and the added bonus of a Royal visitor.

His Royal Highness the Duke Of York will be on Knavesmire, not only to officially open the fabulous new weighing room complex complete with a 140-seater fine-dining restaurant, but also to present the prizes for the feature race - the Duke Of York Clipper Logistics Stakes - named after his title.

A whole host of crack sprinters line up for this £110,000 Group 2 contest and the pick could well be a horse who has yet to run out of handicap company.

Muthmir, trained by William Haggas, created a big impression last season, winning on this course and also at Doncaster, where he overcame a slow start and meeting trouble in running to sensationally land the ultra-competitive Portland Handicap.

A strapping individual, Muthmir looks sure to enjoy another good campaign. This will be a tough test for him, against the likes of Kevin Ryan’s in-form Astaire, Lightning Moon, unbeaten in three starts last season and the progressive Naadirr, but Paul Hanagan’s mount makes plenty of appeal to starting this season as he ended the last one - on a winning note.

The £100,000 Tattersalls Musidora Stakes has attracted a select five-strong field, the pick of which looks to be Together Forever, the mount of Ryan Moore.

Trained by Aidan O’Brien, the talented filly won her last three starts of 2014, most notably the Group 1 Dubai Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket in October.

Together Forever carries a 4lb penalty for that distinguished success but she is surely going to take all the beating.

The £25,000 Infinity Tyres Handicap brings together a whole host of useful sprinters. A blanket finish looks likely to this tightly-knit affair and fingers are crossed that Boy In The Bar is among those involved.

One of three Richard Fahey-trained runners in the line-up - Tatlisu and Arctic Feeling, his other two, also have strong claims - the talented Boy In The Bar was beaten only a length into fifth place at Ascot last Friday night. If none the worse for that outing, he should go well under Robert Winston.

The card opens with the 888sport Handicap over an extended mile and a quarter.

Mahsoob is the most interesting horse in the race, being unbeaten in two starts.

Winner of an all-weather maiden last season, John Gosden’s four-year-old started this term with a narrow victory at Newbury, despite showing signs of greenness.

The handicapper has hardly shown him leniency in raising him 8lb, but he’s a horse open to bags of improvement and he is not easy to overlook, with Hanagan on board.

Fahey’s George Bowen should go well in the Conundrum HR Consulting Handicap, but so too should Mount Tahan, trained by Kevin Ryan, and a winner at Wetherby’s first Flat meeting last month. He’s drawn well next to the inside rail and will have the services of Jamie Spencer.

The AGP Ltd Celebrates Steve Johnson’s 50th Handicap completes the programme and Ribblehead, who twice ran well here last season after winning at Redcar on his debut, could reward each-way backers.

Tim Easterby’s charge should appreciate this step up in trip.

Furthermore, he carries the colours of Clipper Logistics, sponsors of the Duke Of York Stakes.

Easterby also provides today’s nap selection at Newcastle, courtesy of Mystic Miraaj in the Close House Classified Stakes.

Narrowly beaten by Swahan at Redcar a fortnight ago, Duran Fentiman’s mount may not need to improve on that effort to go one better here.

York today: 2.10 Mahsoob, 2.40 Boy In The Bar, 3.15 Muthmir, 3.45 Together Forever, 4.20 Mount Tahan, 4.50 Dheban, 5.20 Ribblehead.

Newcastle today: 2.20 Classic Win, 2.50 Mystic Miraaj (NAP), 3.25 Bajan Rebel, 3.55 The Osteopath, 4.25 Remember Rocky, 4.55 True Pleasure, 5.25 Blue Jacket, 6.00 It’s All A Game.

Today’s other meetings: Bath, Kempton and Perth.