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WOLVERHAMPTON stages its annual Lincoln trial this afternoon.
It has never had much bearing on the big Doncaster handicap at the end of the month.
Perhaps it would be better run as the All-Weather Lincoln.
CONSTANTINO (2.05) had his first run since September last Saturday, seeing his race through and winning by half a length.
That was only the second time that Paul Hanagan had ridden him, and he is now two-from-two on the Richard-Fahey-trained five-year-old.
As Fahey won the race last year, Constantino looks the right one to be on.
Dragon Mall, Mr Scaramanga, Rouge Nuage and Pactolus have all finished second in the last month so need to go on the short list.
The path to success has been made much easier by the late withdrawal of the ante-post favourite, Original Choice, trained by William Haggas who sent out Headway to win last weekend’s big race at Lingfield.
Haggas does still have the favourite for the fast-track qualifier on the card – the Lady Wilfruna Stakes – a Listed race over seven furlongs.
SECOND THOUGHT (3.15) has won all five starts on the all-weather including the £150,000 three-year-old final at Lingfield last April.
A year on and he has already qualified for the Mile final at the end of the month.
This race is to sharpen him up for that and to enable Ryan Moore, his intended rider at the end of the month, to get to know him. LANCELOT DU LAC (4.25) is napped to win the sprint.
He has a bit of class about him and Dean Ivory tends to mean business when he puts Robert Winston up.
Much as I like Mickey, he has been running over seven rather than six furlongs. That may have blunted his speed, so he is best backed each-way. CAPTAIN LARS (1.30) is at the top of his game and should win the opening race.
His trainer, Archie Watson, has had three wins and five places from 10 runners so far this month – admirable figures for a new kid on the block.
He also shows a £30 profit to a level £1 stake on all his runners this year so far.
Whatever Moore’s fate on Second Thought, he can bank on a winner aboard INTERN (2.40).
This gelding is a class apart from the others in his race and should win by the wide margin – as his skinny odds will indicate.