PAUL HANAGAN, who has such a huge following among race-goers at York, can pull off an upset on Knavesmire this afternoon by winning the £160,000 Betfred Dante Stakes on Nafaqa for veteran trainer Barry Hills, who is set to retire at the end of the season.

In a race rightly considered to be one of the leading Derby trials, this Group 2 event has attracted such leading hopes for Epsom as Elm Park, Jack Hobbs, Golden Horn and John F Kennedy, but Nafaqa is fancied to show them the way home, upped to an extended mile and a quarter for the first time.

In the Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket last autumn, Nafaqa found Elm Park slightly too strong in the closing stages, but had looked green when he hit the front and was arguably unsuited by the stop-start gallop of that race. Elm Park franked the form by maintaining his unbeaten record by going on to win the Group 1 Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster.

Nafaqa has had one outing this season, finishing second to Kool Kompany in the Craven Stakes at Newmarket over a mile.

This longer distance can eke out further improvement from him and he will also have benefited from that outing.

Jack Hobbs is a fascinating runner. Winner of a Wolverhampton maiden last December, he trotted up in a Sandown handicap on his reappearance and has since had his rating hiked up from 85 to 109. He could be anything.

John F Kennedy, trained by Aidan O’Brien, also represented by Ol’ Man River, finished last of three in the Ballysax Stakes on his reappearance, but is capable of much better.

This is a race of ifs and buts. A lot of questions may be answered the in outcome. Last year The Grey Gatsby prevailed after being unconsidered in the betting.

Nafaqa could do the same.

In the Betfred Middleton Stakes, which boasts prize money of £110,000 and carries Group 2 status, Bragging makes plenty of appeal.

Trained by Sir Michael Stoute, who has few peers when it comes to training older fillies, Bragging opened her season with a Newmarket victory and looks the type to progress.

Tim Easterby likes nothing better than to have winners at York and the Great Habton trainer has double hopes with See The Sun and Off Art.

The latter, who contests the Betfred TV Hambleton Handicap, finished a good second from a poor draw in the Thirsk Hunt Cup on his reappearance after a year off. He looks to have every chance of going one better.

See The Sun contests the Betfred ‘Supports Jack Berry House’ Handicap and is not to be overlooked over a course and distance where he won last year.

The gelding was beaten only four lengths into sixth place behind Pipers Note in a hot race at Ripon on his reappearance.

That effort should have put him spot-on for this event and he carries the nap vote.

Zuhoor Baynoona represents the in-form Richard Fahey in the British Stallion Studs Westow Stakes.

A Listed winner against older horses at Bath on her reappearance, the speedy three-year-old has a penalty to carry here but is entitled to be in the shake-up with Hanagan on board.

David O’Meara may hold the key to the Investec Private Bank Handicap with Saved By The Bell. Danny Tudhope’s mount scored on this course last season and performed respectably on his return to action last month at Beverley.

The Stratford Place Stud Licence To Thrill Maiden Stakes looks a tricky race to solve with so many newcomers in the field.

Of the pair with previous experience, Seastrom, trained by Charlie Appleby, sets a reasonable standard after finishing fourth despite doing everything wrong on his debut at Nottingham.

York today: 2.10 See The Sun (NAP), 2.40 Bragging, 3.15 Nafaqa, 3.45 Off Art, 4.20 Zuhoor Baynoona, 4.50 Seastrom, 5.20 Saved By The Bell.

Newmarket today: 5.15 Highway Robber, 5.50 Hal - lingham, 6.25 Fallen For A Star, 6.55 Lunasea, 7.25 Figment, 8.00 No Delusion, 8.30 Gossiping.

Today’s other meetings: Fontwell, Perth and Salisbury.