FLYING Pursuit could make a swift return to action at Goodwood next Saturday after the likeable sprinter won back-to-back renewals of the Sky Bet Dash at York.

Trainer Tim Easterby would be keen to run the five-year-old chestnut in the Stewards’ Cup if there was rain in the build-up to the big sprint handicap.

Yet even if conditions were too quick for him at Goodwood, Easterby can still reflect upon on a job well done at York as he also saddled narrow runner-up Golden Apollo.

Flying Pursuit led a small group on the far side and was angled towards the middle of the track in the hands of Nathan Evans once the tempo quickened.

Golden Apollo was also part of that quintet, but he could never get on level terms and finished a neck behind the 9-1 scorer.

Easterby said: “I couldn’t split them. They are both lovely horses, but the rain that came meant everything (for Flying Pursuit).

“The Ayr Gold Cup is the plan now, but there’s also the Stewards’ Cup to think about.

“It has to rain, but if it does he’ll run at Goodwood.” Get Knotted is another York maestro, and earlier claimed the Sky Bet-sponsored seven-furlong handicap for a third year on the spin.

The six-year-old chestnut appeared up against it as he was seemingly going nowhere at the back of the field.

But, not for the first time in his career, Get Knotted (9-4) came alive approaching the York grandstands and ended up defeating Starlight Romance by half a length under Callum Rodriguez.

“I thought we were in trouble,” admitted trainer Michael Dods.

“Even two (furlongs) out you’d give him no chance, but he came home well. He likes a turning track so that takes out decent races at places like Newmarket and Ascot. We’ll come back here and hopefully pick up another one by the end of the year.”

He’Zanarab, who wears the same silks as 2013 Grand National winner Auroras Encore, is also set to return to York following his easy victory in the six-furlong novice auction stakes.

Joint-owner Douglas Pryde said of the 9-2 chance: “He’s in the Gimcrack, but there’ll probably be one or two too good for him in that, so we’ll probably look at the Goffs sales race back here (August 23).”