STRATH BURN can make it second-time lucky for new handler Robert Cowell in the ebfstallions.com Conditions Stakes at Nottingham's evening meeting.

The four-year-old was trained by Charlie Hills until June this year, when connections opted to switch the colt to Cowell's care in the hope a switch of scenery could reignite his career.

It was not that Hills had done a bad job in training the son of Equiano to win at Group Three level and be placed in Group One company – but he has seemingly lost his way a little this term.

After going down by just a short head to Twilight Son in last year's Sprint Cup, it would not have been unreasonable to have expected Strath Burn to be at least holding his own in Pattern company this term.

Yet he failed to sparkle on his return in a Windsor Listed heat in May and again when tried at the same level at Salisbury in June.

Subsequently transferred to Cowell, Strath Burn again disappointed when beaten in a conditions race at Doncaster, although one must bear in mind the winner is no slouch and front-running tactics were possibly not to Strath Burn's liking.

Strath Burn is again vastly favoured by the conditions of this race and, given he still holds a Nunthorpe entry later this month, it will be disappointing if he cannot get his head in front under Oisin Murphy as today's nap selection.

FREE ZONE remains one for the shortlist in the Dribuild Dash Handicap at Chepstow, despite his recent ascent in the ratings.

Jamie Osborne snapped up this seven-year-old at the sales last month for just 3,500 guineas and he promptly repaid that price tag when winning at Hamilton the day after his sale.

Trained by David O'Meara at that point, Free Zone then turned out again at Redcar eight days later but could not follow up as a hot favourite.

Osborne understandably then decided to save on training fees by switching Free Zone to his own yard and he made a decent start when beaten half a length at Windsor last week.

Rated 105 a couple of years ago, there might still be a bit for Osborne to work with from a mark of 84. William Carson takes the reins today.

Hugo Palmer could have a big week in prospect, with Galileo Gold a possible to run at Deauville on Sunday, and WALPOLE is taken to give the yard a nice boost in the JW 4X4 Northallerton Handicap at Thirsk.

Winner of a Huntingdon bumper last October, Walpole has since proved equally as useful under Flat rules when landing a Wolverhampton maiden and a decent Windsor handicap.

Upped in class at York, he was perhaps slightly found out against a better calibre of rival, having to settle for third under what was a 5lb higher mark.

He races off that same rating of 82 here but, given he drops marginally in class, it is not hard to imagine a good run from Walpole under Jamie Spencer.