Lion Sands has never won on an artificial surface but led for a long way before being swamped by Rochdale over 1m2f on his reappearance. However, he's never raced over this trip since his 2yo days and will surely find it too sharp. STAR SURPRISE ran on very strongly on his debut here and would have beaten Il Grande Maurizio in a few more strides. With that under his belt he looks ready to beat his older rivals though former Australian winner Imvula ran his best race to date in Dubai in that event and can get closer. Canwinn doesn't win often but his consistency ensures the assessor can't drop him in the weights and he looks a few pounds high. Prime Spirit showed his liking for Fibresand at Deauville last month and this once decent Bryan Smart-trained performer looks a threat to all from the bottom of the handicap. Doug Watson has made a bright start to the campaign and Clasp made a fair reappearance behind Rochdale.
