TAKE your pick! North Yorkshire trainers field a formidable quartet of runners in the £160,000 Pinsent Masons Lowther Stakes on Knavesmire this afternoon which sets a poser for punters.

Kevin Ryan runs Ashidihan, runner-up in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot, Michael Dods fields Easton Angel, runner-up in the Queen Mary Stakes to American ace Acapulco, David Barron is represented by the unbeaten dual-winner Lady Clair and Mark Johnston has supplemented the exciting Lumiere into the field after her impressive debut success at Newmarket.

Easton Angel, easily forgiven her latest fourth-placed effort at Newmarket where she met trouble in running, and Ashidihan have the best form of the home team, but Lumiere is the unknown quantity and appeals as a filly of considerable potential.

It wasn't so much what she beat at Newmarket six weeks ago, it was the way she beat them - by a wide margin and without being asked a serious question.

This Group 2 race sets her a totally different challenge, but the Middleham grey is highly regarded and is given the vote in a cracking contest, which also features the tough and talented Besharah, trained by William Haggas, who featured on the scoresheet yesterday with Recorder, owned by Her Majesty the Queen, in the Acomb Stakes. Lumiere is napped to shine.

The £35,000 Darley Yorkshire Oaks takes pride of place as the feature event on day two of the Ebor Festival and this Group 1 contest has predictably attracted a top-quality line-up.

The first three home in the Irish Oaks, Covert Love, Jack Naylor and Curvy are in opposition once again. There is every chance that Covert Love, who has improved out of all recognition since winning a handicap here in May off a mark in the low-80s, can confirm her superiority on behalf of Hugo Palmer and Pat Smullen.

She can take care of the remainder of the field, which includes another from Ireland in Pleascach and French challenger Sea Calisi, winner of two of four starts and a fascinating runner for Francois Doumen.

Yesterday saw the unveiling of the Sir Henry Cecil gates on the racecourse, and today the Galtres Stakes carries the name of the legendary trainer of Frankel and a whole host of other star performers.

This mile and a half contest looks a very tricky race to solve, but the John Gosden-Frankie Dettori combination looks tempting with Martlet, winner of two of her three starts this season.

With a whole host of front-runners in the Clipper Logistics Handicap, the race may suit a 'closer' - a horse coming from off the pace - and You're Fired, trained at Middleham by Karl Burke and the mount of Graham Lee, has appeal in a wide-open race.

The Eventmasters 30 Years Of Hospitality Expertise EBF Stallions Fillies' Handicap over seven furlongs offers Sir Michael Stoute a good chance of getting on the scoreboard with Royal Seal, the mount of top Irish jockey Pat Smullen.

Although yet to get off the mark this term, Royal Seal has only had four outings and has yet to run a bad race.

Her latest effort saw her finish a close-up fourth in a Newmarket handicap. She is overdue a winning turn.

North Yorkshire trainers are strongly represented in the £300,000 DBS Premier Yearling Stakes, with Richard Fahey saddling Lathom and Mr Lupton, first and second in the Wetherby's Super Sprint at Newbury last month, and Tim Easterby sending out Excessable, who finished a close-up fifth in the Newbury contest.

All three horses look sure to make a bold bid for this bumper prize, which has extended prize money, but the vote goes to Paul Hanagan's mount, Tasleet, the highest-rated runner in the field.

A dual-winner, Tasleet, trained by William Haggas, finished a good second in the Richmond Stakes at Goodwood three weeks ago. That is the best form on offer in this race and his 14-draw looks ideal. Furthermore, Haggas won this corresponding contest 12 months ago with Mubtaghaa.