Oasis Dream can lead home the charge in the Victor Chandler Nunthorpe Stakes, the sprinting highlight on the final day of the Ebor Festival tomorrow - just don't expect to get rich by backing him.

The John Gosden-trained three-year-old is sure to start a red-hot favourite for this famous five-furlong dash, following the defection, enforced or otherwise, of his main rivals.

Oasis Dream came right to the fore on the sprinting tree at Newmarket last month when winning the July Cup from Australian sensation Choisir, who had won two major prizes at Royal Ascot the previous month, and the multi-talented Airwave.

Since then, however, Choisir has been retired to stud and Airwave last week suffered a setback, which ruled her out of tomorrow's race. Add to the equation the absence of Mark Johnston's brilliant juvenile Attraction, who could have taken on the older horses in this Group 1 test but who is likely to remain in her own age-group by contesting the Prix Morny in France, and Oasis Dream is left with what appears to be a much-simplified task.

True, he is reverting to five furlongs from six, but this fast horse should not be inconvenienced by the shorter journey and, in Richard Hughes, he has a jockey with complete confidence in his ability.

The main opposition is likely to come from recent winners Acclamation and The Tatling, together with Dominica and Continent, but admirable sprinters though they are, none of them possesses the current firepower of Oasis Dream, who is a confident choice to justify his odds-on position in the betting market.

Tim Easterby was memorably on the mark yesterday when Bollin Eric landed the Lonsdale Stakes and tomorrow it could be the turn of his incomparable uncle, Sheriff Hutton-based Mick, who saddles Blue Spinnaker in the Arriva Trains Rated Handicap.

Twice a winner this season, Blue Spinnaker is making significant progress and there was much to like about his latest success at Haydock, which was achieved on his first attempt at tomorrow's distance of a mile.

Richard Quinn, in the saddle that day, takes the mount again tomorrow when Blue Spinnaker is awarded the nap vote.

Quinn can also lift the opening Galtres Stakes on the potentially high-class Singleton, trained by Henry Cecil. The same trainer and jockey joined forces yesterday to clinch a shock 50-1 success with Bagan in the curtain-raising handicap.

Singleton, a Newmarket winner in May, subsequently ran a cracking race to finish second in the Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot. Tomorrow's slightly shorter distance should not invconvenience her.

Carry On Katie, an easy winner on her debut at Ascot, will be all the rage in the Peugeot Lowther Stakes, but Jeremy Noseda's filly won that day on soft ground and will encounter much different conditions here. She is worth opposing with Silca's Gift, an impressive winner of a Listed race at Royal Ascot in June.

Marcus Tregoning has a progressive stayer in Mac, who is fancied to complete a hat-trick of wins in the Melrose Rated Handicap, while the smart Monsieur Bond, trained by the in-form Bryan Smart, should not be left out of calculations in the City Of York Stakes.

The concluding Bradleys Jewellers Nursery Handicap looks a good opportunity for the useful Sutter's Fort to complete a hat-trick of wins under Frankie Dettori.

YORK

1.55 Singleton

2.25 Silca's Gift

3.00 Oasis Dream

3.35 Blue Spinnaker (NAP)

4.10 Mac

4.40 Monsieur Bond

5.15 Sutter's Fort

MUSSELBURGH

2.35 Tally

3.10 Blue Moon Hitman

3.45 Baylaw Star

4.20 Lady Past Times

4.50 Celtic Style

5.25 Torrent

Tomorrow's other race meeting is at Folkestone (see card right).

Updated: 15:35 Wednesday, August 20, 2003