Barry Hills is enjoying a memorable campaign and can sample a further highlight at York tomorrow.

On the opening day of the season on Knavesmire, Lambourn-based Hills is represented by Equiano in the £100,000 Duke Of York Stakes and is fancied to lift this Group 2 showpiece.

Previously trained in Spain, Equiano won last season’s King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot.

His first run this term saw him finish a close second to Tax Free in the Abernant Stakes at Newmarket. The pair cross swords again tomorrow and there promises to be precious little to choose between them, but Equiano is fancied to have the edge this time over Dandy Nicholls’ talented rival.

Also in the field are the likes of Kevin Ryan’s Arganil, Captain Gerrard, trained by Bryan Smart, and Utmost Respect, the apple of Richard Fahey’s eye.

It promises to be a cracking contest, with North Yorkshire strongly represented. Hills, though, with a Classic winner and his 3,000th career success notched in recent weeks, may have the call once again.

Tomorrow’s other feature is the £65,000 Tattersalls Musidora Stakes, in which Sariska is worthy of serious consideration.

Trained by Michael Bell, who thinks the world of her, Sariska won her only juvenile start – a maiden race at Newmarket.

On her reappearance in Group company at Newbury, over seven furlongs, she made a tardy start and kept on well late on to finish fourth.

The step up to an extended ten furlongs tomorrow should be ideal for her and she is fancied to prevail under Jamie Spencer.

Richard Fahey, leading trainer at York for the last three seasons, can make the perfect start to the latest campaign by landing the opening honours with Albaqaa in the William Birch And Sons Construction Handicap.

A most progressive performer last season, the Malton gelding ran a fine race in defeat at Pontefract last time out, pulling too hard for his own good, but still going down only narrowly in third place.

Provided he settles better in the early stages tomorrow, Albaqaa should be hard to beat under Paul Hanagan.

Freddie Tylicki has picked up a mount for Tim Easterby in the Blue Square SP Handicap and should get a tune out of Rosbay, who made an encouraging start to the campaign at Newcastle a couple of weeks ago.

Although beaten into second place, Rosbay ran a fine race, considering he looked in need of the outing beforehand.

He should be all the better for that race and has every chance of popping up here at a nice price.

Mark Johnston’s Doncaster debut winner, King Of Axum, promises to be a tough nut to crack in the Blue Square Novice Stakes.

The wide open Moortown Golf Club Centenary Handicap may be best left to Sir Michael Stoute’s Marching Time, who ended last season by tackling Group 1 company at Doncaster.


Racing selections

York
1.40 Albaqaa (NAP), 2.10 Photographic, 2.40 Sariska, 3.10 Equiano, 3.45 Rosbay, 4.20 King Of Axum, 4.55 Marching Time.

Bath
6.10 Piper’s Song, 6.40 Toga Tiger, 7.10 Mythical Blue, 7.40 Pelham Crescent, 8.10 Hilbre Court, 8.40 Bohobe.

Tomorrow’s other meetings:
Exeter, Fontwell and Perth.

Today’s meetings:
Beverley, Brighton, Lingfield, Newton Abbot and Warwick.