SOFT-GROUND specialist Winged d'Argent (4.10) will be in his element when lining up for the Group 3 £50,000 Sagaro Stakes at Lingfield this afternoon.

Mark Johnston's record with staying horses is second-to-none, and although Winged d'Argent has some way to go before matching the achievements of Double Trigger and co, he's still young enough to climb much further up the ladder.

As far as evidence goes, there was plenty to like about manner with which Winged d'Argent powered to victory at Nottingham earlier this month in a race over a mile-and-six-furlongs.

The way the selection was pulling away in the closing stages of that particular contest strongly suggested he will be even more effective over today's longer trip, especially as yet more rain is forecast at the Surrey venue.

Sir Michael Stoute's Arakan (3.10) is a truly magnificent looking beast with a Rolls Royce engine to match.

Arakan took no prisoners when blowing away a near top-class field in last season's Group 3 Criterion Stakes at Newmarket, a reproduction of which would see him safely home in the Listed Paradise Stakes, sponsored by Hesmonds Stud.

Nearer to home at Pontefract, Consular (2.50) possesses clear-cut credentials to take charge of the ten-furlong stanleybet.com Maiden Stakes.

Michael Jarvis normally does pretty well with his three-year-olds at the course, boding encouragingly for the prospects of Consular, who showed he handles testing underfoot conditions by finishing third on his debut at Nottingham in November 2004.

Despite being sent off at un-fancied odds of 25-1, Royal Flynn (4.20) made no mistake on his handicap bow at Catterick, battling gamely under a typically robust Robert Winston drive to deny Figaro's Quest and Indonesia in a titanic tussle to the line.

Observing him in the parade ring beforehand, the Michael Dods-trained three-year-old looked like he might improve fitness-wise for the run. Of course that could have been an illusion, however if was the case, Royal Flynn holds every chance for the William Hill Handicap.

Over the sticks at Kelso, the highlight of the evening's action surrounds the outcome of the £10,000 SIS Handicap Chase.

Former Cheltenham Festival scorer, Hussard Collonges, would have been the choice but for running deplorably in the Scottish Grand National at Ayr where he was ignominiously pulled up.

With Peter Beaumont's stable-star out-of-sorts, the vote goes to Heidi 111 (7.20), a gallant second when worn down in the dying strides by Wildfield Rufo at Wetherby in March.

* Timmy Murphy was taken to hospital with a suspected broken wrist after a fall from Emotional Article in the Tote Ireland 75th Anniversary Handicap Hurdle at Punchestown yesterday.

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