One Kool Dude, who was denied by only a short head on his debut at Dundalk in Ireland a couple of weeks ago, faces a much shorter journey to the races tomorrow from Richard Fahey’s Malton stable as he bids to go one better.

The two-year-old travels to Beverley for the opening meeting of the season on the Westwood, and is fancied to show his rivals a clean pair of heels in the Racing UK On Sky 432 Maiden Auction Stakes.

One Kool Dude might well have made a winning debut had he not met a little trouble in running in Ireland. As it was, hard though he tried, the post came just too soon and he missed out in a photo-finish.

That experience will not have been wasted on him and he is expected to take plenty of beating in the hands of Paul Hanagan.

One Kool Dude, incidentally, is drawn in stall four, which in the past would not have been a good slot on the sprint course at Beverley. But a new rule was introduced last week, in that on right-handed tracks draws are now from right to left (looking from behind the stalls), which means that low numbers are now favoured on this course over five furlongs.

By the same token, Beat The Bell, likewise drawn in four, is the preferred choice in the Spring Into Racing At Beverley Handicap.

David Barron’s sprinter finished off last term with a win at Musselburgh and is now only 2lb higher. Barron’s horses seem in useful form and Beat The Bell is napped to pick up where he left off last autumn.

In the Racing UK Handicap, a note should be made of Hawaafez, who currently holds an entry in the Epsom Oaks.

That Classic date is merely fanciful at the moment, but Hawaafez, trained by Marcus Tregoning, is a potentially useful filly. She showed ability in both her outings as a juvenile last season, winning the second of them in handsome style at Lingfield.

She is taken to have the edge over Mark Johnston’s Art History and the Richard Fahey-trained Corsicanrun, both of whom look promising.

In the Whistlejackets Cafe Handicap, Rapturous Applause is not to be overlooked.

Trained at Middleham by Micky Hammond, the three-year-old failed to trouble the judge in three outings as a juvenile, but he did show several times a hint of promise over sprint distances.

Into handicap company for the first time, and looking fairly treated off a mark of 60, Rapturous Applause should relish this step up in trip and is expected to give Freddie Tylicki a good ride.

Mark Johnston can complete a first and last race double with Opus Maximus (2.10) and Bestwecan (5.10). The former, owned by Channel 4 racing pundit Jim McGrath, has had his share of problems and is not as effective as he once was, but he should still be up to winning in selling company.

Bestwecan won well on the Polytrack at Lingfield last time and, if able to reproduce that level of performance on turf he will be a tough nut to crack.

At Lingfield, Richard Hughes can figure on the scoreboard on the promising Greenflash (3.00), while the in-form Dansilver (4.00) and Angelena Ballerina (5.30), both chasing hat-tricks, will not be short of supporters.


Racing selections

Beverley

2.10 Opus Maximus, 2.40 One Kool Dude, 3.10 Beat The Bell (NAP), 3.40 Hill Tribe, 4.10 Hawaafez, 4.40 Rapturous Applause, 5.10 Bestwecan.

Lingfield

2.30 My Lord, 3.00 Greenflash, 3.30 Chimpunk, 4.00 Dansilver, 4.30 Royal Acclamation, 5.00 Fashionable Gal, 5.30 Angelena Ballerina.

Tomorrow’s other meetings:

Kempton and Nottingham.

Today’s meetings:

Exeter, Kempton and Pontefract.