Damage the bookies with Cup longshot

By SAM TURNER

Last updated at 20:43 13 July 2007


The name of Easterby is synonymous with Yorkshire and the most recent addition to the training ranks, Tim, son of Peter and nephew of Mick, can take home one of the biggest handicap prizes at their home track this afternoon.

Easterby, who has had

his team in excellent

form of late and has a 40

per cent strike-rate this

term at York with his

older horses, can take

the John Smith's Cup

with his COLLATERAL

DAMAGE (3.15).

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Dunelight

The four-year-old has

run well at the track

previously with his last

win over seven furlongs

at the Knavesmire in

May last season.

He looked to be

returning to form over a

similar trip to today's

when a well-backed

favourite for a Ripon

handicap last month

and on that evidence is

well worth chancing at

around 22-1 to give the

home crowd something

to cheer about.

In a tough handicap,

Flipando has big form

claims but may not be as fresh as some

after a hard run in the Royal Hunt Cup

last time, while Emirates Skyline failed

to live up to his course success next

time at the royal meeting.

The best bet of the day looks to be

VANDERLIN (Chester, nap, 2.25) who

can land the opener for a second time

having taken the event three years

ago. The Andrew Balding-trained runner

faced a stiff task in a Listed race at

Windsor last time but didn't fare too

badly when just over four lengths third

to Winged Cupid.

A slight improvement on that run

should see him back in the winner's

enclosure.

Philip Robinson produced a great

come-from-behind run on Giganticus

to land the Bunbury Cup at Newmarket

yesterday, but hopefully he won't

see another runner and be able to lead

all the way on DUNELIGHT (Ascot,

2.50) in the Group Two Sony Summer

Mile.

John Gosden has his stable in flying

form at the moment and the way that

his PLUCKY (York, next best, 5.00)

performed on her debut at Salisbury

she should not remain a maiden for

long.

The daughter of top sprinter Kyllachy

caught the eye in an event run in

a fast time.

The reduced distance of the John

Smith's Cup could count against several

of today's field and the lay vote

goes to one of those likely to be inconvenienced

in Aidan O'Brien's Hitchcock

(York, 3.15), third to Pevensey

over a mile and a half last time.

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