Frankie Dettori, who has enjoyed some special moments at York this season, returns to Knavesmire tomorrow and looks to have an outstanding chance of figuring among the winners.

The popular Italian can start the day on the right note by lifting the Garbutt & Elliott Stakes on Best Alibi, who has been off the track for more than six months.

While such an absence might be of some concern to punters, it surely looks significant that Dettori teams up with Best Abili in a race where the colt's trainer has two other smart horses in the line-up in Fairmile and Arqaam.

Best Alibi is no stranger to Knavesmire. Last year, after finishing third to no less a horse than Dylan Thomas in the Irish Derby, he won the Sky Bet York Stakes. Subsequently sent to Dubai for the winter, he failed to land a win in just two outings over there, but his reappearance tomorrow is a fascinating one. A classy horse on his day, he can provide Dettori with an opening victory.

Dettori, who completed the Dante-Juddmonte International double on Derby hero Authorized at York this year, teams up with a very interesting newcomer in the I G Index Maiden in the shape of Calming Influence, another horse trained by bin Suroor for Sheik Mohammed's Godolphin operation, Dettori's bosses.

A son of King's Best, Calming Influence has a useful looking pedigree and he may well have enough ability to make a winning debut at the main expense of two locally-trained horses with solid form on the board, Hamish McGonagall, trained by Tim Easterby, and Harrison George, trained by Richard Fahey.

Whatever the fate of Harrison George, Fahey should have a big say in the outcome of the Acorn Web Offset Nursery with Excitement, who created a very favourable impression on this course at The Press Sunday Raceday meeting last month.

Having only her second start, Excitement won in the style of a decent filly. She commands plenty of respect as she now tackles handicap company for the first time. With Paul Hanagan in the saddle, she is awarded the nap vote.

Dettori will surely have his supporters when he partners Amarna in the TSG Handicap, but he may have to settle for a place on this recent Kempton runner-up behind Nevada Desert, trained near Leeds by Richard Whitaker.

A winner on this course in July, Nevada Desert confirmed his well-being with a sterling effort at Haydock recently, finishing a close up third behind Zaahid and Observatory Star.

The biggest cheer of the day will surely be reserved for Sporting Gesture should he manage to win the Betfair Apprentice Training Series Finale Handicap.

Trained by Mick Easterby for York businessman Steve Hull, Sporting Gesture won here last month in momentous style, given that it was his 100th career outing and his 30th race at York, where he has won five times.

Sporting Gesture should make a bold bid, but marginal preference is for Rudry World, twice a winner at Hamilton.

Hotham, a winner for Flaxton trainer Noel Wilson at Pontefract a fortnight ago, can follow up in the Persimmon Homes Handicap.

York selections

2.10 Best Alibi, 2.40 Excitement (NAP), 3.15 Nevada Desert, 3.50 Calming Influence, 4.25 Hotham, 4.55 Rudry World