SOHO SQUARE (4.45) should appreciate his first try over a mile-and-a-half at Lingfield today.

Mark Johnston's raider scored on his only other visit to the course when posting a ten-furlong triumph, a victory made all the more creditable since he swerved violently right-handed and gave away valuable lengths during the closing stages.

It was a typically brilliant performance by jockey Joe Fanning, who charged into an early lead and then did extremely well to maintain sufficient forward momentum when his mount wavered under pressure in the home straight.

Pedigree has clearly played an important part in Johnston's decision to step Soho Square up in trip, seeing as the three-year-old is a son of Derby winner Generous, whose stock are generally at their most effective over middle-distances.

Stoneacre Boy (5.45) has been one of the major success stories of the all-weather winter campaign, mopping up a series of sprint races at both Southwell and Wolverhampton.

To date, Peter Grayson's speedster has failed to add to his tally at this afternoon's venue, however that situation might be on the verge of changing in the final event on the card, the Leisure Club Handicap.

Penalised just 6lbs for his latest runaway Southwell win, Stoneacre Boy seems to have the bit between his teeth at present, prompting the possibility he'll once again be able to burn off his rivals in the six-furlong dash-for-the-cash.

Backers of Hibernian were in for a nasty shock at Sandown last time out, the gelding finding absolutely zilch when asked the question after jumping the third flight from the line.

Until that moment Hibernian (4.25) had looked all over the winner, but the minute Graham Lee drew the persuader there was nothing doing as the horse fell in a heap while others sailed by.

Maybe the selection found the uphill finish too daunting, in which case Wincanton's dead level run-in might be more suitable, especially as his target, the £13,000 Kingwell Novices' Handicap Hurdle, has cut up quite badly for such a decent prize.

Best bet at boggy Chepstow is Euro American (2.55), who travels all the way down from his Northallerton base to contest the Vision Asset Novices' Hurdle.

Edwin Tuer's six-year-old takes a massive drop in class having failed to shine in the £100,000 Imperial Cup, a red-hot race in which he was sensibly pulled up to save him any further punishment.

Euro American faces nothing like that level of competition at the South Wales track, therefore it'll be no surprise if he bounces back to the form he showed when collecting in impressive fashion at Newcastle on his penultimate start.

* Janus is looking to make it a hat-trick of winning naps today with Soho Square in the 4.45 at Lingfield. Misty Dancer obliged in the 3.40 at Taunton at odds of 7-2 yesterday, following Tuesday's winner Emmasflora (7-4).

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