Great Link is on a roll at present and, having gone up just 2 lb for his latest win, is fancied to go in once more at the main expense of Alanjou and Kastani Beach in Sandown's 14:00. The five-year-old, trained by Tony Carroll, was off the mark for this yard at Ludlow on December and completed a cross-code hat-trick on handicap debut at Ayr last month, beating Trucking Along in the style of one that seemed sure to go close again after a small rise in the weights. He gets the opportunity to prove that theory here, and can get the afternoon off to a winning start.
Sandown's second race, a handicap chase over two miles, was won 12 months ago by Greywell Boy and the Nick Williams-trained seven-year-old is expected to go very close to triumphing once more. Greywell Boy had largely failed to meet expectations this season but he returned to form on his most recent outing, finishing second to Persian Snow in a fairly decent race at Warwick, and given that effort came after 10 weeks off he is entitled to be a little sharper for the run. Bullet Street has taken fairly well to chasing and can't be discounted if jumping more proficiently, whilst the frustrating Wings Of Smoke will likely be banging on the door again, but Greywell Boy has every chance of hitting the mark.
Our final selection goes in the 17:30 at Wolverhampton, a competitive sprint handicap in which a case can be made for most. Desert Strike is not among the trio of last-time-out winners in the line-up but he has been shaping up well of late, particularly on his latest outing at Lingfield. The eight-year-old tanked through the race but had no room on the home turn, keeping on well for minimal pressure once in the clear and finishing with plenty of running left. He races off the same mark as when he was last successful, and seems poised to go very close.
Timeform SmartPlays:
Back Great Link @ 3.052/1 in the 14:00 at Sandown
Back Greywell Boy @ 2.56/4 in the 14:30 at Sandown
Back Desert Strike @ 5.04/1 in the 17:30 at Wolverhampton
