Former Essendon sports scientist Stephen Dank has denied supplying the Australian Rules club’s players with performance-enhancing drugs — and insisted he ran his supplement programme with the full knowledge of other high-ranking club officials.

Three weeks ago, the Michael Stoute-trained Dank finished three parts of a length behind all-the-way winner Ladys First and she crosses swords with her conqueror once more in this afternoon's Group 3 Atalanta Stakes (3.25) at Sandown.

The Dick Hern Listed Fillies’ Stakes at Haydock (4.00) is a really competitive looking race but it provides an opportunity for the rapidly progressive Dank to earn some black type.