Alfred Hutchinson on trial for Lincoln at Wolverhampton on Saturday

Hughie Morrison: Hopes his charge improves for last run

Geoff Oldroyd is hoping Alfred Hutchinson can run well in the William Hill Lincoln Trial Handicap on Saturday.

The five-year-old smashed the previous Wolverhampton course record for the one mile 141 yards when powering home by two and a quarter lengths from Aquilonius on New Year's Day.

Although he was beaten at Lingfield on his only subsequent start, Oldroyd is expecting better things from Alfred Hutchinson at his favourite venue.

"He's in good nick and we're very hopeful of a big run," said the North Yorkshire trainer.

"He likes Wolverhampton because it's flat, plus he holds the track record.

"Lingfield last time caught him out slightly coming down that hill. He still wasn't beaten far and got carried out a bit which didn't help."

Trainer Hughie Morrison believes Nazreef faces a stiff task in attempting to repeat last year's victory in this race.

Nazreef landed the spoils by a shrinking short head 12 months ago and comes into the weekend on the back of a neck defeat by Docofthebay at Southwell last month.

"He didn't win it with much in hand this year and he has 3lb more to carry this year so it's not going to be easy," said Morrison.

"He ran a nice race last time so I just hope he's come on for it.

"It will be hard for him, I think. It was hard for him last year so it will be even harder this time. He's not getting any younger."

Marco Botti relies solely on Guest Of Honour to represent him now that Grey Mirage is a non-runner, but the Newmarket trainer is still hopeful of a good show.

Guest Of Honour is a course and distance winner and also has the benefit of a recent outing, having finished second to Loyalty at Kempton recently.

"Guest Of Honour was only beaten a short-head last time and is still progressing, so hopefully he will run a good race," said the Newmarket handler.

He resumes rivalry with Loyalty, who has already had seven races since the turn of the year.

His trainer Derek Shaw said: "Obviously it's a tough race but he's been running very well.

"He's going to need luck in running and he goes there in good order. I just hope he reproduces his best form."

Brian Ellison is giving Memory Cloth and Global Village their first runs of the year ahead of a crack at the Lincoln itself at Doncaster on March 23.

"Both are decent horses and are in good fettle. This is a stepping-stone to the Lincoln," said the North Yorkshire trainer.

"They have done well over the winter and have been working really well, so I'm very happy with them. Both are fit."