BEARING in mind the art of finding turf winners is doubly difficult at present due to vastly varying ground conditions, it makes sense to take a look at the all-weather fixtures.

Wolverhampton's second race is an excellent example in view of the fact that Karl Burke's promising two-year-old, Food For Thought (2.50), seems sure to give a decent account.

Having put in three creditable efforts on grass, the prevailing glue-pots have prompted Karl to give his juvenile a try on a man-made surface. As Food For Thought finished fourth at York last time out, today's seven-furlong race is a major drop in class and it will be something of a shock if he isn't involved at the death.

It's a similar story at Lingfield, where the management also rely on a polytrack base to provide a level playing field.

Never afraid to travel his team down from Middleham, Burke bids to spark an across-the-card double by despatching Surely Truly (2.50) for the six-furlong Novice Stakes, ten minutes prior to Food For Thought going on stage in the Midlands.

Surely Truly, a daughter of the highly-successful sire Trans Island, enjoyed a profitable summer campaign by twice scoring at Ripon in August. She then went to Newmarket and was far from disgraced when eighth in a white-hot nursery.

In the betfredcasino.com Handicap, Golano (3.40) will strip fitter for having had a blow at the track seven days ago.

Paul Webber decided to bring his useful grey back from a spell on the sidelines over a distance of 1 miles, a trip palpably short of his optimum.

It's a ploy regularly used by trainers to get their inmates tuned up without incurring the wrath of the local disciplinary stewards, who are there to ensure no skulduggery takes place.

Golano will be far better suited by today's extra couple of furlongs, which combined with a less stuffy pair of lungs should enable jockey Fergus Sweeney to finesse his mount at the business end of the affair.

For an individual with aspirations to line up in one Derby or another at the beginning of this term, Leicester-bound Hearthstead Wings (3.30) has come up significantly short of expectations.

He didn't actually manage to get his head in front until last month at Hamilton.

But at least Mark Johnston's colt did the job in some style, powering clear of his toiling rivals on a grotesquely wet day.

The rain has again come to the aid of the free-wheeling Hearthstead Wings, who is certain to be given an aggressive ride by Kevin Darley, fresh from a fantastic weekend Doncaster treble.

Earlier in proceedings a few bob each-way to support Cumberland Road (2.00) might help pay for expenses.

Patrick Haslam's team has hit form with a vengeance over the past few weeks and in the hope a little may rub off on Cumberland Road, he gets the nod for the opening Haymarket Nursery.

Haslam's gelding shaped as if he was on the upgrade when fifth at Redcar, a performance that reads nicely in the context of his potential for further improvement.

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