PIPERS NOTE can call the tune on Knavesmire this afternoon by defying top weight in the £50,000 Sky Bet Dash over six furlongs.

Trained near Leeds by Richard Whitaker and the mount of Malton jockey George Chaloner, the gelding has already enjoyed a good season, winning a hot handicap at Ripon in April and a conditions event at Beverley last month.

His latest start in Listed company on this course a fortnight ago saw him beaten only a length and a half into fifth place by Out Do over five furlongs, which is on the sharp side for him on a fast track like York.

The longer distance this afternoon will suit him much better and, although he faces a whole throng of able sprinters in this ultra-competitive race, Pipers Note is napped to come out on top for his Yorkshire connections.

The Sky Bet York Stakes, which boasts £100,00 in prize money, takes pride of place on the card. This Group 2 event has drawn a talented field – including two North Yorkshire horses, Custom Cut and Top Notch Tonto, who are previous course winners.

The duo look sure to make a bold bid to keep this prestigious prize at home but the eye is drawn to French challenger PRINCE GIBRALTAR, who has had only two outings this season and who was beaten less than a length in a Group 2 race at Chantilly on his latest start at the end of May.

Prince Gibraltar showed his mettle last season in no less a race than the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, in which he finished seventh, beaten little more than four lengths by the mighty Treve.

That is classy form and if he is able to reproduce that level here, he will surely take all the beating, despite dropping back in distance.

PAMUSHANA may be the one to be on in the opening Sky Bet Best Odds Guaranteed Fillies' Handicap.

One of two runners in the race for Richard Fahey – David O'Meara saddles another pair of the six runners – Pamushana sneaks into the foot of the weights after finishing a luckless fourth at Pontefract last time.

This is a tougher test but she is expected to go well, more especially if there is any easing in the ground in the meantime.

ROSINA made a winning debut on this course six weeks ago and Ann Duffield's speedy filly looks to have strong claims on her handicap debut in the Sky Bet Supporting New Beginnings Nursery.

PJ McDonald again has the mount on this juvenile, who does not look over-weighted in this five-furlong dash for a once-raced youngster open to further improvement.

At Ascot, all eyes will be on the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes – not only because it is the target of Derby, Dante and Eclipse winner Golden Horn but, from a local viewpoint, because Peter Niven has enterprisingly elected to saddle his former hurdler Clever Cookie in this most prestigious of Group 1 races.

The prospect of the ground easing appreciably at Ascot, with heavy rain forecast in the south, gives Clever Cookie a fighting chance of figuring among the prize money. But it is still difficult to imagine him actually being good enough to take the top prize.

GOLDEN HORN is the obvious choice but if he is pulled out because of the conditions, then Eagle Top – the mount of Richard Hughes – may be the one to pick up the pieces.

BESHARAH makes plenty of appeal in the Princess Margaret Stakes.

The William Haggas-trained filly has progressed well this season and went down by only a nose to Illuminate in the Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarket after an excellent fourth-placed effort behind Acapulco in the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot last month.

There is £150,000 up for grabs in the Gigaset International Handicap and, with 29 runners, it looks a minefield for punters.

Fahey is well represented – particularly by Rene Mathis and Heaven's Guest, first and third in last week's Bunbury Cup at Newmarket.

Although apprentice Kieran Shoemark is erasing the penalty Rene Mathis picked up last week, marginal preference this time is for HEAVEN'S GUEST, who has course and distance-winning form. Jack Garritty again takes the mount.

Also worth noting at Ascot are the promising PLATITUDE (1.30) and David O'Meara's HARWOOD'S VOLANTE (4.25) in the big ladies' race, in which the North Yorkshire trainer has booked the services of Sarah O'Brien.