Main aiming for hat-trick

Main Aim may not have been hugely impressive when scoring on his first two career starts, but as given every indication there is further improvement to come and can bring up the hat-trick in the Thames Handicap at Sandown.

The Oasis Dream colt refused to settle on his first racecourse appearance at Salisbury, but he picked up well from the rear to beat a subsequent dual winner in Carniolan.

He again did his best to pull Ryan Moore’s arms out when coming from last to first to secure a neck success over this course and distance last time and a 5lb hike in the weights seems fair enough.

If he can learn to settle, he clearly has a good level of ability and could yet prove better than his mark of 90 suggests.

Willow Dancer has done very little wrong this season and few would begrudge him victory in the Wey Handicap.

Having got off the mark with a decisive victory at Bath last month, the four-year-old has now finished second on his last two starts, most recently when beaten just a head on the Polytrack at Kempton.

He is now on a career high-mark of 75 but seems to be progressing and should make his presence felt in this company.

Exceedingly Good has shown enough on her first couple of outings to suggest she is capable of getting off the mark in the Yorkshire Radio Maiden at Catterick.

The filly hinted at ability when sixth on her Leicester debut and showed even more promise when doing her best work late on to take third at Doncaster last time.

Her entry in a sales race for later in the season shows she is held in some regard by connections and she ought to be up to winning a race of this nature.

Desert Chill was an impressive victor on her latest outing at Brighton and it will take a good one to stop her following up in the EBF/C&G Construction Solutions Fillies’ Handicap.

Having been placed on her previous five outings, the Godolphin inmate was certainly not winning out of turn when careering away from her rivals to score by eight lengths earlier this month.

She has to concede weight all round on her first foray into handicap company, but she does look as though she is at least Listed class and should be up to the task.

Neve Lieve relished the step up in trip when battling to victory at Lingfield last time and she returns to the track for the Formost Fabrication Handicap.

Marco Botti’s charge was beaten less than a length into third on her penultimate start at Windsor and showed a game attitude when scoring by a length over this course and distance last time.

With conditions likely to be very similar here, she looks sure to get involved.

Mutual Friend let down favourite backers at Uttoxeter last time but if he can reproduce the form of his previous Aintree success, he can reward those who keep the faith in the Howard Franchising Novices’ Hurdle at Worcester.