WITH Sandown's Imperial Cup meeting in grave doubt due to waterlogging, all-weather Flat racing for once takes centre stage with today's running of the £50,000 Ed Weetman-sponsored Lincoln Trial at Wolverhampton.

With the likes of Henry Cecil, Sir Michael Stoute, and Godolphin staying away, it enables a handful of less powerful stables to have a dip at some really decent prize money.

One trainer who slots neatly into that category is Hambleton-based Kevin Ryan, mounting a serious challenge for the extended mile handicap with one of his leading lights, Gralmano (4.25).

Versatility is the byword for Gralmano, a rare breed of thoroughbred by virtue of his equal effectiveness on either grass or sand.

Last season Ryan's raider had three turf victories at Redcar, Ripon, and Doncaster, as well as a track and trip success when he edged out Arc by a head in February.

Gralmano has also had the benefit of a prep race, finishing a more-than-creditable two-length third to Nose The Trade a fortnight ago.

Others in the 13-runner line-up worthy of consideration are last year's winner, The Prince, plus a couple of pretty smart grass performers in the shape of Vintage Premium and Wahj.

But history shows time and again that experience of the man-made equitrack is normally of paramount importance in such ultra-competitive heats, a factor which should just give Gralmano a vital edge over his opponents.

For backers with a particular interest in multiple bets, it's not beyond the realms of possibility that Gralmano's stablemate, Manorbier (2.45), will initiate a double for Ryan by collecting the earlier £20,000 six furlong Tote Scoop6 Handicap.

Arguably one of the most improved sprinters in training during the Millennium campaign, Manorbier made astonishing progress from lowly selling grade, all the way up through the ranks to holding his own in Group class company.

Following the devastating news of the postponement of the Cheltenham Festival, another body blow for National Hunt racing looms if Sandown fails to pass a 7am inspection.

If the meeting gets the go ahead, the Sunderlands Imperial Cup promises to be a crackerjack of a two-mile handicap hurdle.

Two of the market leaders, both incidentally trained at Malton, Dibea Times and Batswing, have been rerouted from long-held engagements at the Festival.

The former was a live outsider for the Champion Hurdle, while the latter had been installed as one of the ante-post favourites for the County Hurdle.

Although it's hard to choose between the talented duo, I just prefer Malcolm Jefferson's unbeaten Dibea Times (4.05), a real tank of a horse whose long raking stride is ideal for Sandown's stamina-sapping uphill finish.

In the preceding £32,000 EBF Novices' Handicap Hurdle Final, Lenny Lungo's equine giant Direct Access takes a quantum leap up in class after three bloodless wins at Ayr (2) and Kelso.

Already approaching a colossal 18 hands high, what a prospect he will be when switching to fences, a point underlined by Lungo, who said: "He rather highly-rated for what he's achieved over timber and is a chasing prospect rather than a hurdler."

Even taking into account the canny Scottish handler's off-putting pessimism, I still believe Direct Access is capable of making the frame, but preference is marginally for the more battle-hardened Cruise The Fairway (3.30).

Mark Pitman's streetwise five-year-old pulled out all of the stops to snatch third spot behind Southern Star at Huntingdon, form right of the top drawer as far as I'm concerned.

The three-mile-five-furlong Crudwell Cup represents the highlight of a busy seven-race card at Warwick.

An uncharacteristic blunder at the 16th fence unfortunately put paid to Campaign's (3.40) hopes in the four-mile Northern National at Newcastle last month.

Micky Hammond's gelding was travelling supremely well at the time, evidence which suggests this lesser contest is well within his grasp provided he stays on his feet.

Should Campaign fail to do the business, the in-form Middleham trainer has two other live opportunities via Hombre (3.05) and Lochbuy Junior (4.15).

Hombre's rout of a decent field of novice handicap chasers at Wetherby confirmed he is certainly one to follow at present, while the ex-French Lochbuy Junior is a six-year-old with the potential to add to his sole British win at Catterick.

l A top-class field of 23 handicap hurdlers has been declared for today's £40,000 Sunderlands Imperial Cup at Sandown.

The Martin Pipe-trained Valiramix heads the line-up for the contest and is one of three runners from Nicholashayne, along with Miss Fara and Copeland.

The latter finished fifth behind Landing Light in the Tote Gold Trophy last time.