MARK JOHNSTON'S Epsom Derby hope Sir George Turner (2.55) makes his eagerly-awaited comeback in this afternoon's Dee Stakes at Chester.

Johnston has already won two recognised Derby trials via Simeon and Fight Your Corner, but ironically neither hold an engagement at Epsom.

Sir George Turner has, however, been supplemented for the Vodafone-sponsored mile-and-a-half Classic and he'll have to shine with only about a month to go before the big race.

Sir George Turner has been pleasing his trainer on the Middleham gallops and with the stable's three-year-olds in such outstanding form, he is the confident choice to account for the likely favourite, Playapart.

The latter was undoubtedly impressive when landing the Listed Gerry Fielden Stakes at Newmarket's Craven Meeting and the northern colt will have to be on his mettle if he is take care of Gerard Butler's raider.

Darryll Holland, who rode a peach of a race to win last year's Ormonde Stakes aboard St Expedit (2.55), may well try to adopt the same trail-blazing tactics in an attempt to take the £70,000 feature for the second year in succession.

Twelve months ago Holland "stole" the valuable contest from the front, coming home in splendid isolation some ten lengths clear of his nearest pursuer.

I guess Darryll's colleagues in the weighing room won't make it quite so easy for Geoff Wragg's classy five-year-old this time round, nonetheless I still believe he's the best horse in the field.

For the nap I am relying on Western Ridge (5.25) to give his rivals the slip in the closing extended mile-and-a-half Pochins Handicap.

Luca Cumani couldn't make much of Western Ridge, although he seems a reformed character under the care of the vastly-underrated Welsh trainer, Bernard Llewellyn. The five-year-old recently opened his account at Wolverhampton, prior to running an even better race back on turf when third to Night Sight.

Night Sight has since franked the form at Doncaster and by all accounts Chester will suit Western Ridge's keen style.

Ginger McCain could prove the trainer to follow over the sticks at Southwell, where he has fine prospects of winning the first two races with Barton Bandit (2.10) and The Eens (2.40).

* Traffic problems stopped Pat Eddery getting to the course in time for the first race but the veteran jockey had no trouble getting a clear passage on rejuvenated Fantasy Hill, who cruised home in the Tote Chester Cup yesterday.

His mount had been out of luck round the tight turns in the £100,000 handicap two years ago, beaten little over a length into third place from a wide draw.

But there was no such trouble in the two-and-a-quarter-mile contest this time for the six-year-old, who had been nursed back to health by trainer John Dunlop after missing all of last season due to leg trouble.

Always travelling strongly behind pace-setting Alberich and Darasim, the 8-1 shot found a wide gap open for him rounding the home turn and bounded into the lead.

Valiantly though 1999 and 2001 winner Rainbow High rallied, the 6-1 joint favourite could not make it a record third triumph and had to settle for second, two lengths adrift.

Last year's second High And Mighty (12-1) was third, with Riyadh fourth in a race run in course-record time. But the gamble of running Gold Cup-winning Royal Rebel failed to pay off as he trailed in 15th.

Eddery, who was second in the Chester Cup back in 1971 and won it on Grey Salute in 1989, was delighted that everything had gone so smoothly.

''He travelled really great all the way,'' said the jockey. ''He was unlucky two years ago as he had a bad draw and never got a run. But it was very smooth today and he quickened up well.

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