GROUP one sprints do not come much weaker than this afternoon's Nunthorpe Stakes on the final day of York's Ebor Festival, although one man who will not mind in the least is the trainer of Dominica, Marcus Tregoning.

Top Aussie speed star Choisir ruthlessly exposed the lack of indigenous talent in the division by mopping up not one but two of the most prestigious five-furlong races at Royal Ascot.

Fortunately for the home team he's now gone back down under giving the likes of Dominica (3.00) the chance to strut her stuff in the valuable Victor Chandler-sponsored dash.

"She seems to have come right back to herself," reports regular rider Martin Dwyer, who finally hit the big-time this term when posting his inaugural Classic success aboard Casual Look in the Epsom Oaks.

Arguably 2003's most improved jockey, Dwyer is equally adept at getting the best out of much quicker individuals such as Dominica, on whom he won the 2002 King's Stand Stakes.

The combination went on to finish a decent fifth in last year's Nunthorpe and by all accounts she has been pleasing connections in recent workouts at Tregoning's stable based in the heart of Lambourn.

The obvious danger to the selection is the certain hot-favourite, Oasis Dream, the silky-smooth winner of the July Cup at Newmarket. He's a class act for sure, however the race John Gosden's colt won at headquarters was over a stiff six furlongs, a million miles from the sharp five on the Knavesmire.

Miss Corniche went into plenty of notebooks when finishing third at Newbury earlier on this month.

Geoff Wragg's mare had been out of action for a considerable length of time prior to that outing and appeared to be decidedly ring-rusty over the first mile of the race. Thankfully for Wragg she did warm to her task and run on nicely in the closing stages to produce a decent final furlong flourish.

By the Arc winner Hernando, out of the legendary broodmare sire Northfields, everything points to Miss Corniche (1.55) progressing sufficiently with age to capture the Listed Galtres Stakes.

Miss Corniche is due to be partnered by Darryll Holland, who also quietly fancies his chances of causing a major upset by booting home the outsider Badminton (2.25) in the Group 2 Peugeot Lowther Stakes.

Clive Brittain has never been one to hide his light under a bushel and he has typically thrown Badminton in at the deep-end after just one workmanlike victory in a six furlong maiden at Doncaster.

"She gave me a very nice feel and I'm looking forward to riding her again," declared Darryll, who would surely have succeeded in his dream of clinching the flat jockey's championship were it not for the ubiquitous presence of the all-conquering Kieren Fallon.

Mick Easterby normally lines up one of his "specials" for this meeting and Blue Spinnaker (3.35) carries plenty of confidence in the Arriva Trains Showcase Handicap.

Blue Spinnaker is a big bull of horse, bristling with muscle and very much in the heavyweight division of the racehorse fraternity. Such sheer physical power is generally a great asset in competitive fields and the fact the four-year-old showed considerable improvement when stepped up to mile last at Haydock suggests he's got what it takes to lift the £45,000 contest.

Not a great deal to get excited about at either of the other two fixtures, none the less recent runaway Yarmouth scorer, Mimic (5.00), still rates the second best bet of the day in the KMFM Classified Stakes at Folkestone.

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