Dozen For William Hill Lincoln Trial

A dozen horses have stood their ground at the final 48-hour declaration for the #50,000 William Hill Lincoln Trial (3.30pm), the highlight at Wolverhampton on Saturday, March 10.

The extended mile contest has been won by some notable performers in the past including subsequent Group Three scorer Vortex in 2004. In 1999, Captain Scott scored at Wolverhampton before only finding Right Wing half a length too strong in the Lincoln itself.

Among this year's declarations, seven - Orchard Supreme, Humungous, Speedy Sam, Very Wise, My Paris, Tanzanite and Collateral Damamge - also hold entries in the William Hill Lincoln on March 31, run at Newcastle this year while Doncaster completes the final stages of its #32 million redevelopment.

Trainer Kevin Ryan is looking forward to saddling My Paris on Saturday, ahead of a tilt at the William Hill Lincoln itself at Newcastle on March 31.

My Paris ran creditably to finish three and a half lengths eighth to Bravo Maestro in the extended mile contest at Wolverhampton last year, his first start since coming third to Blue Monday in the 2005 totesport Cambridgeshire the previous October.

The six-year-old gelding is following the same path this term, having finished midfield behind Formal Decree in last season's totesport Cambridgeshire on his latest start.

Ryan revealed today: 'My Paris is in good form. Obviously, he's not quite match fit as it's his first run of the year but he's very tough and he's drawn well in one.

'He ran a good race in the William Hill Lincoln Trial last year and he seems in good heart with himself.'

The gelding failed to win in 2006 but posted some useful efforts in defeat, notably when six lengths third to subsequent dual Group One winner Librettist over a mile at Nottingham in June.

Ryan commented: 'He had a good year in 2005 when he had a lot of hard races and you often find that some horses don't quite reproduce their best the next year.

'A few times he didn't get his ground - he's a horse that loves dig in the ground and he can grind it out. When the ground is a little bit lively, the faster horses tend to pick up and quicken past him. In saying that, he ran some solid races last year.

'The plan is to go to the William Hill Lincoln where he looks to have a decent weight (8st 10lb). It will be nice to win on Saturday but if he doesn't then it will be nice to see him run a big race before he goes to Newcastle.'

The lightly-raced Humungous finished a promising eighth of 13 in the seven-furlong bonusprint.com Handicap at Lingfield on February 24 when making his seasonal reappearance and his trainer Charles Egerton is hoping the four-year-old, who finished sixth to Sir Percy in the 2005 Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket, can come on for that effort.

Egerton commented: 'His comeback run at Lingfield was a satisfactory run and I hope he will progress from that - he certainly needs to.

'At the moment, it is looking unlikely that he will go to Newcastle for the William Hill Lincoln, as he needs decent ground. In any case, Saturday's race is a nice prize in itself.

'He hasn't been handed the best of draws (11 of 12) but we will just have to ride him positively.

'I will be disappointed if he doesn't run a big race on Saturday.'

Kate Hills, Head of Marketing and Public Relations for Arena Leisure, commented: 'The William Hill Lincoln Trial has gone from strength to strength in recent years and is the perfect prep race for horses going on to contest the William Hill Lincoln as well as being a very valuable prize itself.'