Two For Friday. G` Luck!

Starscope aims to give the form of the 1000 Guineas another boost in the Swettenham Stud Fillies' Trial Stakes at Newbury on Friday. Stablemate The Fugue finished two places behind John Gosden's Guineas runner-up at Newmarket and subsequently waltzed away with the Musidora Stakes at York on Wednesday. Starscope steps up to 10 furlongs for this Listed heat, but Chris Richardson, managing director of owners Cheveley Park Stud, feels that should be well within her compass. Richardson said: "Obviously the Guineas form was franked at York but the Guineas form is usually rock-solid anyway. It was a very pleasing run by our horse in the Guineas but our filly is a different type to The Fugue. We were very pleased with the Guineas, but we want to see if she'll stay further and then we can establish a way forward for the rest of the season. "Her jockey (Jimmy Fortune) got off her last time and said she'd have no trouble staying further - in the Nell Gwyn and the Guineas she's been doing her best work at the finish. She's a lightly-raced filly but we need to get her to concentrate in her races - she wears a hood - and we need the penny to drop. She's in the Coronation so we'll see if we'll be going back to a mile or staying at this sort of trip (10 furlongs)."

Also, Ed Dunlop is hoping Burwaaz will enjoy a welcome change of luck in the Bathwick Tyres Carnarvon Stakes at Newbury on Friday. The son of Exceed And Excel only has one success to his credit in a Leicester maiden last May, but he has run several good races in defeat. He was also tried highly as a juvenile, being placed in the Gimcrack Stakes and Flying Childers and he ended the campaign in the Group One Middle Park Stakes. His misfortune continued on his first start of 2012 when the bit slipped through his mouth at Kempton, but he still managed to take third place behind Gusto.

"I really hope he wins. The bit went through his mouth when he came round the bend and was unrideable so he did fantastically well even to finish third," said Dunlop. "I knew there were other unlucky stories in the race but I do hope this is his day to make him a stakes winner."

Fury Wins...but only just!

Fury (3-1) just denied last season's Cambridgeshire hero Prince Of Johanne in a tremendous finish to the Betfred Hambleton Stakes at York. The two greys had the finish of this mile handicap to themselves and the result was in doubt right to the line with the William Haggas-trained Fury just obliging in the hands of Ryan Moore. There was only a nose between them at the line, with the 2-1 favourite Mijhaar two and a half lengths away in third place. Haggas said: "I'm really, really pleased. He went off the boil last year but he's a much stronger horse now and he's really fought when he needed to today. He's been running consistently well in really big handicaps so to win here is richly deserved. "The fact that this was a Listed race makes it even better and it's good news for the family. I don't want to run him in the Hunt Cup so I think we'll go for a Group race somewhere. "He could go for something at Chantilly the Sunday before Royal Ascot."

Bonfire On Fire!

Andrew Balding's Bonfire emerged as the most serious threat to Investec Derby favourite Camelot with an impressive comeback performance in the Betfred Dante Stakes at York. The son of Manduro could hardly have promised more in his two starts as a juvenile, looking a class-act on his racecourse debut at Salisbury before finishing a luckless third in the Group One Criterium International at Saint-Cloud. His seasonal return had been shifted to Britain's most high-profile Epsom trial from last week's Dee Stakes at Chester due to the rain-softened ground on the Roodee and it proved a wise decision. The colt showed slight signs of waywardness before the off, but he was as good as gold once the gates opened and travelled supremely well in the hands of Jimmy Fortune. Bonfire quickened past the well supported Ballydoyle-based favourite Ernest Hemingway in taking style and it was recent Newbury winner Ektihaam who moved stylishly out of the pack to throw down a challenge. The two of them fought out a crowd-pleasing finish heading inside the final furlong, but Bonfire was on top close home, officially scoring by three-quarters of a length.

Two To Follow Today

Fencing drops in class but steps up in distance in the Betfred Dante Stakes at York today. John Gosden's colt brings Classic form to the table, having finished six lengths behind Camelot when sixth in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket. Gosden said: "He's in good form. He had a nasty incident with a shoe-clip, which meant he had to miss the Craven. He then ran in the Guineas and he should come on for that. I think he'll stay a mile and a quarter, he's certainly bred for it." The trainer went on: "It looks a good Dante, but he's in nice enough form, so we'll see."

Roger Charlton admits that a 3lb penalty makes life difficult for Sea Of Heartbreak, who returns to action in the Betfred Middleton Stakes at York today The five-year-old is burdened with the extra impost for a Group Two success at Longchamp during Arc weekend. Charlton said: "She looks fantastically well. She's got a penalty for winning a Group Two in France and has to give weight to some good fillies. It's a very hot race, but it's good starting point and she's in good form." Sajjhaa (my selection) was runner-up to Midday in this race 12 months ago before going on to register a course and distance victory in July. Her liking for the Knavesmire circuit gives trainer Saeed bin Suroor reason to be optimistic about her chances. "Sajjhaa looks like she is coming back into form - she looks well and has been working nicely. She is ready to run and she loves racing at York. I am hopeful of another good effort," he told www.godolphin.com .

York Advice

Two to follow today: York 4.10 CUMBRIAN CRAIC made a big impression when scoring by six lengths on his debut last month at Doncaster. Tim Easterby's charge handled the soft ground well and finished his race off strongly. He should take plenty of beating in same conditions today. 3/1 available, take it (Win Bet)4.45 TARTIFLETTE has improved markedly with every outing so far, only missing out by a head to subsequent French Guineas fifth Gregorian when second on her seasonal debut at Newbury last month. 7/1 Best Price, take it (Each Way Bet)Double them up to MAXIMISE profit. G` Luck!

News On Spencer After Fall

Jockey Jamie Spencer shrugged off a bad fall on the eve of York's Dante meeting by claiming a winner at Beverley. The 2005 champion jockey must have feared for his participation at the big three-day fixture on the Knavesmire once he was unseated from Panama Cat in the opening five-furlong maiden. Spencer fleetingly remained motionless on the turf, but he was later declared fit enough to take his three remaining mounts, of which Bridgehampton was a game winner of the Beverley Middle Distance Series Handicap. The Michael Bell-trained three-year-old was never too far off a stop-start pace initiated by Henry George and galloped earnestly clear two furlongs out. Cheviot Quest briefly threatened, but succumbed by four lengths to the 3-1 favourite, who was stepping up to a mile and a half for the first time in his short career. Spencer said: "I'm a bit sore, but I'm OK (for York). It was a bad race, but his dam is a half-sister to Fame And Glory and he was always going to improve for the step up in trip."

Duke Of York Preview

Champion trainer Richard Hannon is doubly represented in the Duke Of York totepool Stakes on the Knavesmire with Libranno and Elnawin. Libranno made his reappearance this season over a mile in heavy ground and is expected to be much better suited by conditions on his return to sprinting. "It was barely raceable at Sandown, where Libranno disappointed last time, but we know he is better than that and six furlongs suits him as well as seven," said Richard Hannon jnr on www.richardhannonracing.tv. "Elnawin has been off with injury since he won by eight lengths at Salisbury last June, and he will probably need this comeback race." Richard Fahey has always thought highly of Mayson and the four-year-old is now finally starting to deliver on his promise. After finishing third behind The Cheka at Doncaster on his reappearance he was a good winner of the Abernant Stakes at the Craven meeting and he returned to Headquarters last time out. Dropping down to five furlongs for the Palace House Stakes, he showed good speed from a bad draw to win again. Fahey said: "He's in great order at the moment and he knows how to win now. He's progressing the right way, he's won a Listed race, a Group Three and now he's in a Group Two. "The ground should be fine, he goes on anything. He seems as effective over five furlongs or six, but if I had a choice I think he's better over six. He's in both races at Ascot, but we'll get this out of the way first." Godolphin's ex-Australian Soul is an interesting contender. He won at the Dubai Carnival in handicap company, but made no show on World Cup night in the Golden Shaheen. Saeed bin Suroor told www.godolphin.com: "Soul won very well on his first start of the year in Dubai, but then was disappointing in the Golden Shaheen. He looks in good form at the moment and has been working nicely. The return to turf should suit him and I am looking for a better result this time."