Two years ago Chester-bound Stretton (4.05) returned after a well-earned winter holiday to win the Walker Smith Handicap and if my calculations are correct a repeat performance is very much on the cards.

The James Bethell-trained six-year-old is clearly a horse who goes well when fresh and with the stable in pretty good nick at the moment, that represents sufficient encouragement to be investing on Stretton for the extended mile-and-a-quarter contest.

The earlier £65,000 Chester Vase is purportedly a Derby trial, although not one of the seven-runner field looks capable of taking a hand in next month's Group 1 showpiece at Epsom.

As far as the official ratings stand, Frankie Dettori's mount, Privy Seal (2.55), looks a cut above the rest on the basis of his Listed win at Kempton last month and should land the spoils with the minimum of fuss.

Following a fruitless 2003 campaign, Bandari (3.30) battled his way back into the winners' enclosure at Newmarket last Saturday with a brave wire-to-wire win.

Mark Johnston's five-year-old was the subject of a brilliant tactical ride by Joe Fanning and confidence is slightly tempered since he's been replaced in the saddle by Richard Hills.

No disrespect to Hill, but Fannon is widely thought of as one of the leading front-running jockeys currently riding in the UK.

If Hills can go through the gears in the same way as Fanning and gradually wind up the pace from the front, Bandari might still have the opposition well-and-truly cooked come the short home straight.

There could be money to be made at Wetherby's evening meeting by siding with Little Task (7.10) in the Sky Bet Handicap Hurdle.

John Wainwright's six-year-old had been out of action for seven months prior to finishing sixth over course and distance 11 days ago. Little Task is sure to have shed a few unwelcome pounds of fat as a direct result of that outing and off bottom weight will surely make his presence felt.

Ludlow raider Paddington Green, who has been knocking on the door of late by finishing runner-up on both of his last two starts, is strongly fancied to go one better in the J.P. Seafoods Handicap Hurdle.

Hughie Morrison's consistent gelding has been found a fairly straightforward opportunity by his shrewd handler and should be involved in the shake up for the two-mile-five-furlong race.

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