TRAINER William Haggas is hoping that Besharah can regain the winning thread when tomorrow she returns to York – the scene of her finest hour.

This time the target is the Group 3 188BET Summer Stakes which offers £60,000 in prize money.

The now three-year-old filly sped to success in the Group 2 Sky Bet Lowther Stakes as part of a wonderful week enjoyed by the Haggas team at the 2015 Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival.

Besharah has since run with credit in Group 1 company – including when fourth in the French 1,000 Guineas – but has not added to her wins’ tally.

Last time saw her contest the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot where she finished tenth of fourteen after a less than straightforward passage.

But Friday will see her drop back in trip to six furlongs with connections aiming for more black type through a second course and distance triumph on the Knavesmire.

Haggas, a Newmarket-based Yorkshireman, said: “We’ve been training her for the mile races and we think it’s worth a shot back at six furlongs. There are very few races over this trip for fillies-only.

“Obviously, I’ve been trying to slow her down all spring – now I’m asking her to sprint again, so she might be a bit rusty.

“But I think she is in good form. We’re only putting the cheek-pieces on just to sharpen her up a bit.

“She is penalty-free in this race and has won on the track. This is the best chance she has had for a bit.”

Besharah was just one of five winners that Haggas’ Somerville Lodge team enjoyed at last year’s Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival. Unsurprisingly, it’s a meeting he looks back on with great fondness.

He said: “It just happened right for us last year – the horses fitted into the races, which was terrific. It won’t happen like that again probably.

“But we had good chances in lots of races. What we considered to be our best chance actually got beat!”

Skipton-born Haggas is always keen to have runners at York – a course where he has enjoyed plenty of success over the years. Indeed, only David O’Meara had more winners on the Knavesmire in 2015. There were eight victories in 2012 – the same again a year later. And from his last 147 runners at the course, no fewer than 31 have triumphed.

Haggas said: “I love York. They look after us very well. They put up proper prize money and deserve all the support they get.”

There is a total prize fund of £200,000 – £50,000 more than twelve months ago – on offer for Saturday’s John Smith’s Cup. Haggas, who won the race in 2011 with Green Destiny, sends Our Channel for the 57th running of the mile and a quarter contest, which is now the richest middle distance handicap in Britain. Apprentice Georgia Cox will ride, hoping to emulate the likes of Paul Hanagan and Adam Kirby who won this race with a claim.

He said: “Our Channel will get in and he runs. He hasn’t run for a bit. He won a nice handicap for Georgia when she rode him at Kempton – then he won a Listed race (also at Kempton). There are very few races you can run this sort of horse in where he has got a reasonable chance – and I think he has got an outside each-way chance.”

Friday’s seven-race card starts at 1.50pm. Saturday’s racing commences at 1.55pm.