YORK'S £50,000 Skybet Dash may prove child's play for Two Step Kid (3.25) if the lightning-fast three-year-old maintains his current rapid rate of improvement.

On his last visit to the course in June, Jeremy Noseda's colt scooped a similarly prestigious prize when landing the William Hill Trophy by a neck from Delphie Queen.

Two Step Kid has since run equally well when third at Newmarket, a performance which puts him in with a terrific shout of regaining the winning thread now that he takes on the older sprinters for the first time.

This column was arguably robbed of 12-1 winning nap when Stallone (5.20) switched inside, instead of out, during the closing stages of the Queen Mother Cup at the mid-June meeting on the Knavesmire.

Amateur jockey Niki Wilson, who I still believe is one of the best in the business, lost vital momentum and ultimately couldn't quite peg back the two leaders, Mephisto and Court Of Appeal.

It's a cinch to ride a race from the comfort of the press box, compared with the battle out on the course, so no blame whatsoever is conferred upon Niki.

It would, though, be nice for connections of Stallone to gain compensation, and the Duncan Wiltshire Memorial Rated Stakes presents a fine opportunity for the generally consistent chestnut to have another bite of the cherry.

The £20,000 TSG Beeswing Rated Stakes (3.15) is the feature race on the card at Newcastle, with Snap potentially having the legs on his older rivals.

Students of form have every right to be positively purring over Snap's latest Thirsk success, where he touched off Commando Scott, who has subsequently notched a quick-fire double at Haydock and Doncaster, slamming some pretty pacey types in the process.

Having witnessed Snap serenely cruising up the Middleham gallops on a couple of occasions this year, I'd already marked him down as a very progressive individual.

Mark Johnston's representative possesses such a pleasing blend of speed and stamina that rider Royston Ffrench, might easily have the luxury of a leisurely glance in his wing mirrors to see a bunch of toiling opponents come the finale of the seven-furlong contest.

Small wonder there's a maximum field for the totesport International Stakes at Ascot with a cool £150,000 in prize-money up for grabs.

Generally speaking, the low numbers have the call and Gay Kelleway was jumping for joy when her ante-post favourite, Vortex (3.45), came out of the hat with stall six.

"It's a good draw and I'm pleased there are so many fancied horses around us," said Gay. Vortex warmed up for the valuable showpiece with a marvellous effort at Newbury last Saturday, failing by a short-head to catch Everest.

Much earlier in proceedings, leave the opening couple of races to Mark Johnston's newcomer Taj India (2.00) and ten-to-follow pick Mister Monet (2.35).

Taj India has been showing bags of promise on the home gallops, while Mister Monet possesses the sort of quality which should entitle him to be contesting Group races before long.

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