MIDDLEHAM trainer Mark Johnston, who won the Doncaster Cup three times in the 1990s with Double Trigger, can return to those glory days tomorrow by landing Town Moor's prestigious stamina test with Darasim, the mount of Joe Fanning.

No less than £100,000 is up for grabs in this two-and-a-quarter mile event, sponsored by GNER, and Darasim has what it takes to come out on top over his seven rivals.

Given a copybook front-running ride by Fanning when winning the Goodwood Cup on his latest start, Darasim had previously finished third in the Ascot Gold Cup.

His style of racing - forcing the pace and striking the front a long way from home - could see him laid bare tomorrow by hold-up horses such as Millenary and High Accolade, but Darasim is a difficult horse to overhaul at the end of a long-distance race and he could well land a famous North Yorkshire triumph in this event, won last year by the subsequently ill-fated Persian Punch.

Jimmy Fortune, who spent ten months on the sidelines with serious back problems before returning to the saddle in mid-summer, has never looked behind him since and is riding like a man inspired.

Fortune can prove the point by getting among the winners tomorrow, firstly on the useful Playful Act in the betfair.com May Hill Stakes.

A pillar-to-post winner of a maiden race over seven furlongs at Newmarket last time, Playful Act looks to be progressing fast. Tomorrow's step up to a mile should suit and she is fancied to take plenty of catching.

Fortune can also play a starring role in the GNER Park Stakes on Fong's Thong, who is unbeaten in two starts this season.

Brian Meehan's charge has scored at Goodwood and Newbury in the style of a high-class colt. He can further his reputation tomorrow.

The nap vote is awarded to Baltic King, another of Fortune's mounts, in the Earth Mortgages Scarbrough Stakes over five furlongs.

The Hugh Morrison-trained sprinter, an Ascot winner two outings ago, was an unlucky loser of a Listed race at Beverley on his latest outing. Shuffled to the back of the field early on, and then denied a clear run, he finished strongly in third behind Chookie Heiton. Compensation will surely come his way tomorrow.

Irish raider Poetical is worthy of attention in the JRA Golden Jubilee Sceptre Stakes over seven furlongs.

Trained by Michael Grassick, Poetical proved herself a highly-talented juvenile last season and ran out a seven-length winner of a maiden race at The Curragh last month. She promises to go well here, receiving all the allowances against largely older rivals.

Mighty Empire, a winner at Newmarket last time, should not be overlooked in the Ralph Raper Memorial Prince of Wales Cup Nursery.

The two-year-old is trained by Mark Tompkins, who was on the ball in a similar event at York last Sunday with Diamonds And Dust.

Thursday's tips:

Doncaster

1-15 Playful Act, 1-50 Fong's Thong

2-25 Darasim, 3-00 Poetical, 3-35 Mighty Empire, 4-10 Baltic King (NAP), 4-45 Trojan Flight

Epsom

2-15 Goodwood Spirit, 2-50 Simplify

3-25 Royal Storm, 4-00 Scottish River, 4-35 Sian Thomas, 5-10 Balerno

Tomorrow's other meeting is at Chepstow.

Updated: 12:29 Wednesday, September 08, 2004