THERE is a vivid reminder at Wolverhampton tomorrow that it is less than two weeks to go to the start of the Flat turf season.

Horses entered for the Lincoln Handicap - the Flat turf season's traditional curtain-raiser at Doncaster - get the chance of a rehearsal.

Wolverhampton's all-weather track is a far cry from galloping one mile straight on Town Moor, but the opportunity of some racecourse action is not to be sniffed-at - and nor is the £50,000 prize in the Ed Weetman Haulage and Storage Lincoln Trial.

Hambleton trainer Kevin Ryan is one trainer aiming for a killing and, in Gralmano, he has a horse capable of adopting the assassin's role.

While Ryan has high hopes of Gralmano at Doncaster, he is equally optimistic about this tough and talented gelding's prospects tomorrow.

A winner over this course and distance last year, Gralmano shaped well here on his comeback a couple of weeks ago and is entitled to have improved again. With Fergal Lynch in the saddle, he is expected to take plenty of beating in this televised event.

The Channel 4 cameras will also be covering the £20,000 Tote Scoop6 Handicap over six furlongs and the best bet here promises to be Carrie Pooter, a recent decisive winner on the course, who hails from the in-form David Barron stable near Thirsk.

The jumping programme at Warwick has attracted huge entries and winners will be hard to find.

That said, it should be worth rowing-in with Max Pride in the 'Cork' Novices Handicap Chase.

Robin Dickin's slow-maturing gelding came into his own on his latest start at Leicester and left the impression that day that he has now turned the corner.

Open to plenty impovement still, Max Pride can follow-up in the hands of smart claimer David Dennis and is awarded the Nap vote.

Air Shot deserves plenty of respect in the No Smoking Day Handicap Hurdle.

The 11-year-old, a big disappointment last season over fences, returned to action over the smaller obstacles on this course recently and ran a blinder to finish a close second, at 25-1, to the favourite Karratha.

Air Shot now gets the chance to prove that effort was no flash in the pan, and Adie Smith again has the mount.

Tomorrow's high-class programme at Sandown hangs in the balance after today's schedueled meeting was called off this morning because the course is waterlogged.

A further inspection of the Esher course will be made at 7.00am tomorrow to decide if tomorrow's programme at Sandown will be able to go ahead.

Clerk of the course Andrew Cooper said: "Parts of the course are moving under your feet and it is not safe."

He added that if the further rain which is forecast tonight is not appreciable there is a chance that racing might be possible tomorrow.

Malcolm Jefferson will be dearly hoping that the green light is given as he aims to saddle Dibea Times - denied a shot at next week's Champion Hurdle at the abandoned Cheltenham meeting - in the £40,000 Sunderlands Imperial Cup.

The Alvis Grand Military Gold Cup has been transferred from today's abandoned Sandown card to tomorrow's meeting, if the meeting goes ahead.

If Sandown's meeting tomorrow is abandoned Channel 4 will show the following races live: Wolverhampton 2.45, 3.15, 3.50, 4.25; Warwick 3.05, 3.40, 4.15, 4.50.

Tomorrow's Tips:

Wolverhampton

1.40 Stiletto,

2.10 Sean's Honor,

2.45 Carrie Pooter,

3.15 Indian Sun,

3.50 White Plains,

4.25 Gralmano,

5.00 Promiscuous,

5.30 Spirit Of Love.

Warwick

2.00 Executive Choice,

2-35 Legal Lunch,

3.05 Max Pride (Nap),

3.40 Dook's Delight,

4.15 Air Shot,

4.50 Mr Snowman,

5.20 Posh Pearl.

Sandown

(Televised races)

2.55 Halexy,

3.30 Direct Access,

4.05 Dibea Times,

4.40 Real Value.

Updated: 16:14 Friday, March 09, 2001