Smart eyeing exciting campaign for Sprint Trophy favourite Alpha Delphini

Alpha Delphini never made it to a racecourse until October of his three-year-old year but Bryan Smart has brought the son of Captain Gerrard along to the point where he ran with great credit last year in the King's Stand and the Nunthorpe Stakes, before finishing his season with a couple of wins in conditions races.

The seven-year-old will be a warm order to make a winning return in the 5f totescoop6 Borderlescott Sprint Trophy (2.25 ITV4/RUK).

Smart said: "He looks physically well and I'm very happy with him. I’d be happy with him running well here and let the rest of the season unfold around it."

Paul Midgley fields veteran campaigner Desert Law as well as Line Of Reason, who only just failed to beat Alpha Delphini at Beverley last September.

"Line Of Reason hasn’t been his usual self over the winter but looks great now," said Midgley. "He wouldn’t want it too slow but he's in good form and will take his chance.

"Desert Law had a colic operation last backend and that went fine. His work has been very good and he's done plenty. He really wouldn’t want soft ground either, so I’m hoping they miss the rain."

David Barron and Kevin Ryan look likely to contest the head of the market in the remaining televised races from the Scottish venue.

The totesport.com Royal Mile Handicap (3.00 ITV4/RUK) features Ayutthaya, who broke his maiden for Ryan with the minimum of fuss at Chester last September, having previously been best of the rest behind Classic hopeful Elarqam.

Barron thought enough of Fake News to run her in a valuable auction race at Newmarket last autumn and, while he didn't get involved in the finish there, the gelded son of Paco Boy looked to have improved for a step up to seven furlongs when winning at Wolverhampton earlier this month.

Barron will also be hopeful of a decent effort from Twin Appeal inthe 7ftoteplacepot Handicap (1.50 ITV4/RUK).

Twin Appeal won the equivalent race on the card last year and was back in the winning groove three starts ago at Wolverhampton, while Ben Robinson's 5lb claim further enhances expectations.

Ryan relies on Lualiwa, a specialist over the trip on turf who struck up a good relationship with Kevin Stott last term. The four-year-old was entitled to need his first run back at Newcastle on the Tapeta last month.

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