Ansar is ready to compensate

Ansar can show just how unlucky he was in last year's Tote Chester Cup by making amends in the £100,000 contest today.

Dermot Weld's raider failed by only a short head to peg back Bangalore after being stopped in his run up the short straight 12 months ago.

He had to be switched a furlong out by jockey Francis Norton otherwise he surely would have caught Bangalore, whose jockey Gary Bardwell won the ride of the year award for "stealing" the prize with an inspired piece of tactical ability.

But it looks to be Ansar's turn this year in this exciting two and a quarter mile Showcase Handicap. Connections have had the race in mind for the five-year-old, who made a highly-encouraging seasonal debut at the Curragh last month when fifth to Lawz over an inadequate 10 furlongs. And the booking of Willie Supple, who had a double here yesterday, looks significant.

Michael Stoute, whose Flight Of Fancy is 5 to 1 favourite for the Epsom Oaks, can produce a lively outsider for the Classic in Gay Heroine.

The Caerleon filly is currently a 25 to 1 chance for Epsom on the strength of just one run as a two-year-old when she was runner-up to Time Away at Sandown. She looked the type to do better this year and can make a successful reappearance in the Shadwell Stud Cheshire Oaks.

Artie, runner-up to Time Royal on his debut at Doncaster in March, can go one better in the Bank of Scotland Maiden for the Tim Easterby stable.