KING OF STRINGS, well regarded by North Yorkshire trainer Mark Walford, heads to Southwell this afternoon aiming to make it third time lucky this season.

The six-year-old shaped with unmistakable promise on his reappearance at Wetherby on Boxing Day when finishing fourth and was made favourite to fulfil that promise at Market Rasen next time.

Alas, he raced too keenly for his own good and dropped away tamely once the race began in earnest to finish well beaten.

Sheriff Hutton-based Walford has given him two months since that disappointing outing and will be hoping that King Of Strings can do a whole deal better today. Dougie Costello, pictured, has the mount.

Nap selection Somchine may prove the answer to the opening Golf & Racing £20 At Southwell Handicap Chase.

The seven-year-old, trained by Seamus Mullins, has been in fine form this season, winning two of his four races and finishing a creditable fourth at Exeter on his latest outing. The evergreen Andrew Thornton will be in the saddle.

King's Odyssey has a winning opportunity in the southwellgolfclub.com Maiden Hurdle.

Evan Williams' six-year-old finished second to Champagne Express at Chepstow on his latest start and had previously occupied fourth place at Sandown. He should go well in this two and a half miles event.

At Chelmsford, David O'Meara has good prospects of lifting the Waxham Handicap with Scoreline, the mount of apprentice Josh Doyle.

The 7lb claimer rode the sprinter to victory at Wolverhampton nine days ago, just 24 hours after finishing unplaced on the same course. Hard horse to predict though he is, Scoreline has the ability to go well in this five furlongs dash.

India's Song promises to take plenty of beating in the East Somerton Handicap.

A winner here on her seasonal debut, David Simcock's mare has since finished third at Lingfield, but was beaten only half-a-length in a blanket finish. She is in good nick at present and is entitled to go well today.

Fairway To Heaven made a promising return to action when fourth at Lingfield in January, but failed to fulfil that promise on this course later in the month. Michael Wigham's sprinter is a decent horse on his day and if he can bounce back to form this afternoon, he should be on the premises. Jim Crowley looks a good jockey booking.

Hold Firm (5.00), a Wolverhampton winner last time, is fancied to follow up for Mark Tompkins and Jimmy Quinn, while the in-form Guards Chapel (5.30) is fancied to notch his third win from four outings this season in the concluding contest.
 

Selections

Southwell today

2.00 Somchine (NAP), 2-35 Take The Crown, 3.10 King's Odyssey, 3.40 Whatsupjack, 4.10 King Of Strings, 4.40 Sea Pride.

Chelmsford today

3.00 Scoreline, 3.30 Ventura Castle, 4.00 India's Song, 4.30 Fairway To Heaven, 5.00 Hold Firm, 5.30 Guards Chapel.

Today's other meeting

Taunton.

Tomorrow's other meetings

Exeter, Southwell and Wetherby.