KEVIN RYAN is making York’s big sprint races his own private property this season.

The Hambleton trainer won his third of the campaign when Masamah (9-2) defeated a talented field to take the Listed John Smith’s City Walls Stakes.

The five-year-old swooped with a perfectly timed challenge down the centre of the track in the five furlong £30,000 race.

Ridden by Phillip Makin, he had slightly missed the break but travelled superbly before making his move well inside the final furlong.

He still had to hold off a determined challenge from Amour Propre and Hamish McGonagall, who had earlier looked like they would fight out the finish, to come through by a neck.

Following Lexi’s Hero’s Bond Tyres Trophy Stakes win on Knavesmire last month, and Masamah’s earlier victory in the valuable sportingbet.com Sprint in May, it was a tremendous treble at York for Ryan, who said: “The race came out lovely for him.

“He missed the break a little bit and, when you are stepping up in company, it is hard to hit the gates and run all the way.

“He just missed half a stride which I think helped him. He got a lovely toe into the race. He is improving and has done all the way through.”

York was staging the race for the first time, having secured it from Chester last season.

Ladys First (11-2) looks to be yet another talented two-year-old at Malton trainer Richard Fahey’s stable on the evidence of her victory in the John Smith’s Median Auction Maiden Stakes.

The filly, ridden by Paul Hanagan, showed signs of greenness during the six furlong contest but produced a smart turn of foot to power home inside the final furlong.

Fahey’s assistant trainer, Robin O’Ryan, revealed Ladys First had only been worked for the first time a few weeks ago, having previously been “woolly” in her coat.

“She’s a lovely filly,” he said of the late developer. “She’s just taken a long time to come to herself. She had a woolly coat on her but she has always had ability.

“We like her a lot and she looks to be a quality filly.”

Great Habton’s Tim Easterby picked up another Knavesmire victory when Last Bid (11-4) got the better of Rent Free, trained by Nawton’s David O’Meara by half a length in the John Smith’s Sprint Stakes.

Tactician (17-2) made all to give the Queen a York winner in the John Smith’s Silver Cup Stakes.

Try as they might, none of the big field could get close enough to the Michael Bell-trained four-year-old – with Middleham trainer Mark Johnston’s Fox Hunt the closest a length and a quarter adrift.

Ridden by Eddie Ahern, who was enjoying his first Royal winner, Tactician could be back at York in August for the Ebor Handicap.

It was the second year in a row the Queen took the Silver crown, having won with Free Agent 12 months ago.