IF JACKIE McNamara needs any inspiration he should take a note of Highland Colori's performance at York races.

The former Scottish international will lose his job as manager of struggling York City tomorrow (Saturday) unless he gets a 'positive result' against Braintree.

Worryingly, his side have not won away from home for 29 games - which hardly inspires confidence. However, all is not lost.

Highland Colori, trained by Andrew Balding, won Europe's richest sprint handicap, the Ayr Gold Cup, only three years ago and had just gone 29 races without winning!

The eight year old returned to form at York today under the guidance of jockey Liam Keniry and won the the StanJames.com Bet on Your Mobile Stakes, which was being televised live on Channel Four.

How York City's owner Jason McGill would love his own 'Highlander' (well, Jackie Mac is actually from Glasgow but you get the drift) to win at the 30th time of asking!!

Maybe, just maybe, this was a lucky omen? Only time will tell.

The 'October Finale' is the final meeting of the season at York with the feature race being Saturday's £100,000 Coral Sprint Trophy.

Prize money over the two days is worth over £415,000 and while the skies over North Yorkshire remained grey throughout the afternoon, the rain at least held off until 4.30pm - much to the relief of the punters.

PJ McDonald rode Comedy School, trained by Mark Johnston, to victory in the opening race, the TSG Paul Beioley Memorial Stakes.

Running for only the third time in the colours of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, the filly - which had also won last time out at Haydock - pulled clear of the field entering the final furlong and never looked in danger of being caught. Battered, the 5/2 favourite finished three and quarter lengths back in second place.

McDonald, who had also extended his lead in the race to be this season's Yorkshire's Top Jockey, said: "There is definitely a lot more to come from this horse."

There was local success in the third race when Carlton Frankie, trained at Sheriff Hutton by Mick and David Easterby, won the JWPCreers Supporting Lord Mayor's Charities EBF Stallions Maiden Stakes over five furlongs.

The filly, a 14-1 outsider, had made his only previous appearance in May when finishing ninth in a listed race at York.

'Training issues' had been the reason for her absence since, according to David Easterby, who said:"We have always liked her but we needed some time. You don't run a horse in a listed race for the first time unless you think they are any good."

A sheepdog chased a flock of geese over the finish lane before the next race but this was no cause for alarm. A wide variety of countryside-themed events were going on throughout the day as part of a 'Countryside Raceday'.

The StanJames.com Stakes lived up to its billing as 'feature race' and produced the best finish of the afternoon.

Calvanist and Master BlueEyes were neck-and-neck in the final furlong with Yangtze, trained by Sir Michael Stoute, looming large on their tails.

Jockey Kieren Fox held on to win on Calvanist - scooping £31,125 for owners Manton Thoroughbreds - but a four day ban for his own use of the whip.

Graham Gibbons rode Robot Boy, trained by David Barron near Thirsk, to victory in the Parsonage Hotel & Cloisters Spa Stakes despite dropping his whip near the end. David O'Meara's Aleef started the race as 11/4 favourite but finished last in this five furlong handicap.

Raheen House was a red-hot 4-7 favourite to win the penultimate race, the Elevator Company Maiden Auction Stakes, and duly delivered - completing a double for Brian Meehan who also trained Calvanist.

Jockey Rowan Scott steered 9-1 shot Bertiewhittle to victory in the finale, the Racing UK HD on Sky432 Apprentice Stakes (Handicap), for the second year in a row.

Barron also trained the second placed horse Twin Appeal. The pre-race favourite David O'Meara's Steel Train had been withdrawn moments before the start.

And so, there are just seven races to go before the curtain comes down on the flat racing season at York.

Richard Fahey is set to win the Top Trainer at York Trophy while Andrea Atzeni is two clear of PJ McDonald in the Living North Top Jockey at York championship.

Is the curtain set to fall on York City manager McNamara too? Highland Colori is proof positive that fortunes do sometimes turnaround after 29 failures on the road.