IT'S Macmillan Charity Day at York and the feature race on this high-class card is the £100,000 888Sport Charity Sprint Handicap, in which TWILIGHT SON is expected to shine and extend his unbeaten sequence.

Henry Candy's exciting three-year-old won both his races last season, including a nursery at Thirsk, where he showed his class by missing the break, running green, doing everything wrong and still bursting through in the closing stages to win.

Twilight Son has had just one outing so far this season, at Newmarket last month when he won handsomely in handicap company over this afternoon's distance of six furlongs. Today's trip to York represents the next step on the ladder and presents this smart colt with his sternest test to date, against the likes of Scalzo, Roossey and recent winner Mukhmal.

But if Twilight Son lives up to the promise he has shown so far he will be a tough nut to crack. With Fergus Sweeney in the saddle, he is napped to come out on top.

The Queen Mother's Cup Lady Amateur Riders' Handicap, the traditional opener to this popular card, is an important date for female amateurs as the winning rider receives her weight in champagne and the winning owner gets the bumper share of the £20,000 up for grabs.

John Quinn is aiming to win it for the second successive year with Pearl Castle, again the mount of Serena Brotherton, but Richard Fahey has two runners, Modernism and INNOCENT TOUCH, and marginal preference is for the latter.

The four-year-old has twice finished in the frame on this course this season in handicap company and is fancied to provide Emily Bullock with a fairy tale success, wearing the colours of former York racecourse chairman, Nicholas Wrigley.

The Ian And Kate Hall Macmillan Ganton Stakes could provide Fahey with another winner on the afternoon, courtesy of GABRIAL, the mount of Tony Hamilton.

Winner of the Lincoln Handicap at Doncaster at the opening meeting of the season, the tough and talented gelding finished an excellent fourth in a competitive handicap on this course at last month's Dante Festival.

Fahey runs four in the £40,000 JCB Handicap, in which David O'Meara has three representatives. The two North Yorkshire trainers have more than a third of the runners between them.

Sticking your colours on just one is a difficult tactic in such a wide-open race but the value bet could be WITHERNSEA, returning from an unlucky second at Newcastle two months ago.

The Ice Co Supporting Macmillan Handicap over nine furlongs could fall to O'Meara with ROUSAYAN, the mount of Silvester de Sousa.

A winner at Beverley on his penultimate start, the four-year-old has since finished third at Catterick, where he was a beaten favourite. He may, however, have been caught out by dropping down to seven furlongs that day and this longer trip is expected to suit him much better.

In the Reg Griffin Appreciation Maiden Stakes, a whole host of newcomers from powerful stables take the eye, but of those with proven form, Kevin Ryan's TOP OF THE BANK appeals.

A good second at Doncaster on his debut, this son of Piccolo has since finished third to Jazz Legend in a warm-looking race at Haydock. This extra furlong may eke out further improvement from Top Of The Bank, but any positive market moves for any of the debutantes would temper confidence in him making it third time lucky.

The Charles Henry Memorial Handicap concludes Macmillan Charity Day - even though there is a charity race to be run afterwards with a dozen intrepid riders fulfilling their dream to ride around Knavesmire - and SOUL BROTHER could be the one to be on.

Although he has been frustrating to follow so far this season, the four-year-old, trained by Tim Easterby, is a talented horse on his day. Fingers are crossed that this is his day, running in a race sponsored by Charles Stevens, his owner.

At Musselburgh, the £100,000 William Hill Scottish Cup takes pride of place over five furlongs.

Demora, last year's winner, is in the field again, but ONLINE ALEXANDER, trained by Kevin Ryan and the mount of in-form apprentice Shane Gray, makes plenty of appeal from a favourable draw and after strongly suggesting a return to winning form is imminent after a solid effort at Thirsk last time out.

York

2.00 Innocent Touch, 2.35 Withernsea, 3.10 Gabrial, 3.45 Twilight Son (NAP), 4.20 Rousayan, 4.55 Top Of The Bank, 5.30 Soul Brother

Musselburgh

1.40 Muhadathat, 2.15 Gabrial The Duke, 2.50 Noble Asset, 3.25 Online Alexander, 4.00 Flicka's Boy, 4.35 Gabrial The Tiger, 5.10 Surround Sound