CHRIS THORNTON expects a major run from his three-year-old gelding, Lets Roll (4.35), in the ten furlong Betfred Handicap at Sandown this afternoon.

Lets Roll, who made a pleasing reappearance over one-mile at Ripon last week when chasing home ten-to-follow pick, Granston, is now going much further afield in the hope of claiming some decent scalps at the Esher venue.

"Lets Roll should come on for that outing and the extra distance will suit," said Thornton. "He's bred to get 12 furlongs so I think he'll have no problem with the step up in trip.

"The horse is still very wintry in his coat, but that's because we've had no sunshine to speak of at Middleham this spring.

"The one to beat is Neville Callaghan's Hazyview, he won easily at Newmarket and has been put up 11lb from next week as a result, so he's still well treated with only a 6lb penalty to carry now."

The day's best prize, on offer in the £50,000 Group 3 Betfred Classic Trial, has attracted a paltry five runners, a pathetic turn-out for a recognised Derby trial.

To add insult to injury, only one of the quintet, the Barry Hills-trained Mutawaasel, has actually been entered in the Epsom showpiece. Barry's contestant is not sure to be fully wound up, whereas both recent winners, Gold History and Privy Seal, are in peak condition.

On a form line through Richard Hannon's Pyschiatrist, Privy Seal comes out well ahead of Gold History and as a consequence John Gosden's fast-improving colt gets the nod in the mile-and-a-quarter test.

As is the custom at the meeting the rest of the races are jumps' events, top-billed by the two-mile £70,000 Concept Hurdle.

In spite of the fact that not one of the eight runners can be written of with any sort of confidence, it's hard to envisage Intersky Falcon (1.45) being anything other than a leading contender.

Jonjo O'Neill's ultra-consistent hurdler finished third and fourth respectively at the Cheltenham and Aintree Festivals, performances that will undoubtedly persuade the bookmakers to chalk up a pretty miserly odds about the gelding, who is part-owned by Alan Shearer.

There's a superb three-miler up at Perth, the Kilmany Cup, featuring none other than the hero of the Liverpool Foxhunters' Chase, Forest Gunner (4.45).

Few horses attack their fences with the sort zest boasted by Forest Gunner, who despite going up in the weights has the sheer class to give his rivals a proper pasting at the Scottish track.

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