THE valuable Bond Tyres Trophy at York today has been on the radar for Desert Law for some time and Andrew Balding is hoping the three-year-old can pick up the winning thread after losing out narrowly recently in a Newmarket sprint.

Typical of most horses from this stable, he wasn’t, perhaps, trained to the minute for his reappearance and came up just short in a good tussle with Majestic Myles, responding to pressure after racing a bit keenly.

Although Desert Law has gone up 6lb for his neck defeat, he should remain competitive off his new mark and Balding reckons there is a good handicap to be won with him before his sights are raised.

Standing in his way again is his Newmarket conqueror with whom he is marginally better off and there may be little between them because Majestic Myles’ successful seasonal debut was all the more commendable, as he had been off since York last August with a split pelvis.

Forjatt was unlucky in running on his return at Newmarket when fourth to Seal Rock after meeting trouble on the way. He has been gelded since his two-year-old career when his efforts included a second to Wootton Bassett. He may be worth a try at seven furlongs in time, but is still a major contender here.

Acclamazing’s winning streak came to an end at Ascot when he was denied a clear run after Adam Kirby managed to find all sorts of traffic problems in a small field. That was over seven but he has proved himself over a furlong shorter and it would be no surprise to see him bounce back after that unfortunate reverse.

Jim Goldie’s team has been in fine form lately and is no stranger to having a winner on the Knavesmire. He saddles Staff Sergeant for the Queen Mother’s Cup and this lightly-raced sort can take this prize for lady riders with flying colours.

Winner of a Southwell maiden in April of last year for Mark Johnston, he has obviously been difficult to train and was having only his fourth race in three years when running Quanah Parker to a head at Ayr, his first outing for 318 days.

He undoubtedly has ability and Goldie is just the man to get the best out of him. The extra two furlongs should be in his favour, judging by the way he was staying on his latest appearance.

Bought out of William Jarvis’s stable for 27,000 guineas last autumn, Kay Gee Be has paid back a large slice of that outlay with two wins from three starts for Richard Fahey.

The latest came at Ripon when resisting the in-form Dubai Dynamo by half a length and a 5lb rise doesn’t look beyond him.

Camerooney, a multiple winner at seven furlongs, stays further and, if he can repeat his game performance when beaten in a triple photo at Newmarket two outings ago, he could well be in the mix. He is almost down to his last winning mark and deserves to to add to his tally soon.

Sound Amigo has been a friend to followers who have backed him since he first stepped onto a racecourse. He is unbeaten in three appearances and, while an away encounter at Sandown is always that more difficult, he has earned a step up in class for the totescoop6 Handicap.

Following two wins on Wolverhampton’s Polytrack, he maintained his unbeaten record on his switch to turf at Haydock where he more than coped with a rise in grade with a cosy success over the John Gosden-trained favourite Johnny Castle.

I was regretting the fact that I had only nominated him as my next best bet of the day, as he confirmed that he is a useful handicapper in the making and more races should come his way.

He needs the good ground or easier and conditions at the Esher track will be ideal. He showed that the extra furlong last time was right up his street.

And the form of that race couldn’t have worked out better.

The second, fourth, fifth, seventh and eighth have all won since and a 6lb rise should not be enough to halt his progress. Whatever happens, he is one to keep on side this season.