When a Newmarket trainer of the calibre of Geoff Wragg sends only one runner on the long trek to Musselburgh it's time to take the hint.
Wragg, who got off the mark for the new Flat season at the third attempt with The Whistling Teal at Pontefract on Tuesday, has fine prospects of another winner via Bright Spark in the Sislink Maiden at the Scottish course this afternoon.
On his racecourse debut at Nottingham last month the rangy son of Sri Pekan shaped encouragingly in very testing ground when fourth to shock winner Valeureux.
Having made up ground in good style to get into a challenging position with a quarter of a mile to run it wasn't surprising that he got tired in the closing stages and had to settle for fourth spot.
He's sure to come on considerably for that outing and it doesn't look as though this race will take much winning. He is preferred to Sikasso, who shaped well on his Flat debut at this course last weekend.
After a disappointing campaign last year, Les Eyre is making up for lost time and his Affarati makes plenty of appeal in the SIS Classified Stakes over seven furlongs.
A winner over six at Pontefract last May, the Emarati gelding shaped encouragingly on his reappearance over this trip on soft at Doncaster last month when third to Annie's Song in a competitive 22 runner handicap.
My selection is sure to have benefited from that outing and this race represents a definite drop in class. He's not badly drawn and is taken to beat Derek Shaw's In The Arena.
Thihn likes soft ground and has shown he retains all his ability and is the confident choice in the Trni Handicap over a mile.
John Spearing's gelding ran well when two lengths second to Kid'z'play, who raced alone against the far rail over nine furlongs at this course on Saturday.
The son of Machiavellian should be spot on now and, although he's a fair bit higher in the weights than his last winning run, he can prove up to the task.
Milton Bradley's Bali Royal ran well when second to Patrician Fox on bad ground at Nottingham recently and can go one better in the Sports Daily Fillies Maiden Sprint Handicap.
This consistent type looks to be very well drawn in stall three and has the services of excellent three-pound claimer Keith Dalgleish.
Bradley's Roller is on a fair mark and has obvious prospects in the Tote Credit Club Brighton Mile at the south coast venue. But preference at a bigger price is for Michael Bell's Cote Soleil - and with Pat Eddery booked for the ride it looks a very interesting prospect.
Although the Inchinor gelding hasn't won since his debut two years ago, he ran really well in some competitive races in much better company last year and he's on a stone lower mark than at the start of last season.
He loves cut in the ground, he goes very well fresh and he's from a stable that have a good strike rate and he looks well worth a decent bet.
Lancer also likes soft ground and the nine-year-old gets the vote in the Donatello Restaurant Lady Riders Series Handicap
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