Dominica can fill sprint void

With the possible exception of Kyllachy, the speed ranks have been sadly devoid of any single stand out performer so far this season, but should Dominica follow-up her whirlwind Royal Ascot Kings' Stand Stakes success, then she will surely assume the sprint crown for the time being at least.

The Marcus Tregoning-trained filly gave notice of better things to come when winning her final two starts last season at Musselburgh. And more significantly the Cornwallis Stakes at Ascot in October.

Dominica's return to the track for the Royal meeting in June didn't cause much of ripple amongst racing pundits, although there was a little bit of support for her in the betting ring prior to the Kings' Stand in which she was backed from 20's to 16-1.

Those shrewdies who snapped the odds were handsomely rewarded when she made full use of her low draw by making every yard of the running to claim the £78,000 contest.

I don't know whether Tregoning has had his prayer mat out, however, Dominica has once again been fortunate with the draw having pulled the number two stall out of the hat.

The long and short of that positioning means she will be able to race against the far side rail where the quickest strip of ground on the Knavesmire appears to be.

For pedigree students or believers in coincidence, it is also interesting to note that Dominica hails from the same family as Ya Malak, who dead-heated for the Nunthorpe with Coastal Bluff in 1997.

It is a crying shame that only five fillies turn out for the £85,000 six furlong Group 2 Peugeot Lowther Stakes. That said, at least the entire quintet smack of nothing less than sheer quality.

Brian Meehan has targeted the valuable event for the unbeaten Romantic Liason ever since she ran away with the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes, while James Given's Wunders Dream enters calculations having blitzed the opposition last time out in the Molecomb at Glorious Goodwood.

Both will almost certainly be right in the thick of the action when the crowd erupts into full throng as the final furlong approaches, but the one I fancy to steal their thunder is Russian Rhythm.

Sir Michael Stoute, normally a man of precious few words when it comes to talking about his horses, could not conceal his utter delight in the fillies' progress after she has won on her debut at Newmarket.

His faith in her was fully justified when Russian Rhythm then followed up in the far stronger Group 3 Princess Margaret Stakes. Kieren Fallon wasn't hard on her that day, hinting there was plenty more left in the tank if required.

York simply would not be the same if Henry Cecil didn't have at least one winner, so let's hope Stance (4.20) can pick up the Melrose Handicap.

On what the selection has achieved so far - a workman-like success in a run-of-the-mill Newbury - Stance has plenty to prove against some useful rivals.

On the plus side, Cecil is not a man to run his horses out of their depth, thus it seems his three-year-old might have kept a little bit up his sleeve for this more esteemed company.

The difference between victory and defeat often hangs on a slender thread, a point never better illustrated than by Atlantic Ace's (3.15) misfortune in the £100,000 William Hill Handicap at Glorious Goodwood.

Hemmed in on the rails behind an infuriatingly impenetrable wall of horses, Atlantic Ace simply had nowhere to go with the winning post fast coming into view.

Tired of waiting for a gap that never came, Francis Norton finally switched his mount to the outer where they made up a prodigious amount off ground only to be beaten by a neck by Smirk who got first run.

Given less traffic problems, Bryan Smart's miler has a great chance of setting the record straight by capturing the Bradford & Bingley Showcase Handicap.

For nap followers, Shergar Cup hero Bouncing Bowdler (4.50) will be a tough nut to crack if he gets his nose in front for the Listed City of York Stakes.

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