Ripon's most valuable race of the season, the £37,500 Great St Wilfrid Handicap, will once again be a highly competitive affair on Saturday.

Due off at 3.25 and televised by Channel 4, the race is guaranteed to attract plenty of runners.

Fulke Johnson-Houghton's Blue Mountain, well beaten when a heavily backed favourite for the Stewards' Cup at Goodwood, will take his place in the line-up and was on offer at a best-priced 11/1 with sponsors William Hill midweek. Stewards' Cup runner-up Bon Ami, who was also second, beaten only a short head, in the Great St Wilfrid 12 months ago, heads the market at 10/1. Trainer Alan Berry expects a big run from the four-year-old.

Ho Leng, who will carry top weight if declared to run, has a mind of his own. If he's in the right frame at Ripon then the five-year-old could well make the frame. However, sprint king Dandy Nicholls is in cracking form and of his rake of entries, the booking of George Duffield for Further Outlook looks more than interesting, as did odds of 12/1 midweek. Remember, though, a good draw counts for a great deal.

Racing at Ripon begins at 2.20 with a five furlongs maiden race and Ian Balding's Amazed, to be ridden by Kevin Darley, certainly wouldn't amaze me by winning. Alan Berry also has another lively contender with Fairgame Man in the six furlongs race for two-year-olds at 2.50. John Carroll rides the horse, who is on a three-timer.

The second televised race, a 1m 2f fillies handicap at 4.00, looks all set to be a battle between the Dunlops. John sends up Eurolink Artemis (Kevin Darley), while Ed Saddles Summer Song (Gary Carter).

Darley has some cracking rides at Ripon and I wouldn't put Placepot punters off including his two mounts in the last two races - Mark Johnston's Pure Shores in the 4.35 and John Dunlop's Original Spin in the 5.05. The other four Channel 4 Scoop6 races come from Sandown and a Henry Cecil/Richard Quinn double looks on the cards with Variety Shop in the one mile Listed race at 2.40 and Vacamonte in the Group 3 seven furlongs event for two-year-olds half an hour later.

BBC cameras are at Newbury for the first three races, with Shepherd's Watch the pick of the meeting in the five furlongs Listed race at 2.30. There's racing at Pontefract on Sunday, then it's on to York's glittering three-day Ebor Festival next Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Record prize money of £1.75 is on offer at the star-studded meeting, which represents the very best in British racing and begins at 2.05 on all three days.

York's most valuable race, the £450,000 Juddmonte International, is the highlight of day one, with Coral Eclipse hero Giant's Causeway set to clash with Derby runner-up Shakhee. Roses Racing Club trainer Kevin Ryan is likely to run both Eastern Purple and Manorbier in the Nunthorpe on Thursday, while Gralmano and Desraya are two other stable entries. I confidently expect Kevin to have his first York winner next week with the stable in such fine form.

The Scoop6 was not won last Saturday, but I fancy it could well be this weekend.