Jamie Insole is looking forward to getting the stable's flat turf runners on the course at Doncaster this weekend.
Insole trains a dual-purpose string in partnership with Dr Richard Newland in Worcestershire and Insole is hopeful that they have a strong team for the summer, including a couple of relatively new recruits.
Witness Stand is on course to contest the Cammidge Trophy at Doncaster on Saturday; the Listed winner has already run once for Urloxhey Stables, finishing last of 13 in Saudi Arabia, and Insole told At The Races he is hopeful of a better showing.
"We learned a lot, he's come back safe and sound, he's been training very well," he said.
"The key to him is soft ground. He took the trip fine; the grass out there was way too quick for him. We're obviously dropping back to six and will be praying for a little bit more rain, the softer the ground the better. Looking back on last year, he looked as though he had bags of speed and on slower ground I don't think he'll have any problem dropping back to six.
"There aren't many seven furlong options for him and this looks a reasonable target to start with in the UK. On quicker ground seven furlongs would be his trip but on this slower ground he should be more than capable over six.
"I found over the winter that he is a very stuffy horse, a horse that took a lot of work to get fit, so I'm hoping now with a run under his belt he should be where we need him to be."
Newland and Insole are also set to be represented on Saturday by Farasi Lane who will probably contest the Spring Mile, the consolation race for the Lincoln.
Farasi Lane enjoyed a consistent first season for the stable in 2024, winning once, and Insole was excited by the form he showed last time.
"He ran a very creditable second in the Lincoln Trial," he said.
"I think that was a career best for him at seven-years-old so credit to the team to be able to produce a performance like this. He was keen and that's not all the story. He got struck into on the first bend, he lost his near-hind shoe and he had a nasty gash down the back of his tendon fetlock so he was running the race with a slight injury and that probably explains the hanging. So to think he was beaten a short-head there so credit to the horse so running as well as he did with that knock.
"We gave him an easy seven days and he's come out if it well now. We're thrilled with him, he's actually come out of his race better than he ever has and we'll take our chance in the Spring Mile but then we'll probably head to All-Weather Finals Day.
"I think that will be his sort of big target for either the main race at Newcastle or the Vase race at Lingfield but both are an option."
The Thurloe Thoroughbreds owned Dapper Valley opened his account for the stable on his second start last October and Insole explained how the four-year-old came to join the team.
"My girlfriend, Jess Stafford, her parents own the horse so lucky enough they sent him to us at the end of last year. The plan is to run on Sunday.
"He lost his way a little bit. We're a big fan of using data, we use a lot of heart rate monitors, and when I was working this horse it was crying out that he wanted further than six furlongs so we ran him over seven on soft ground and it seemed to work that day.
"I see him starting off over seven but I reckon he'll be getting a mile on better ground through the summer, he's got a lovely big stride, lovely action and I think he could still be well handicapped. He's very easy to ride and looks a million dollars at the moment, I think he's one horse we could have great fun with this year."
Newland and Insole are also looking forward to having runners on some of the bigger stages through the year and the trainer gave an update on two of his more exciting prospects.
We've got a lovely three-year-old called Chess Dad," he revealed.
"We've just entered him in the French Derby, he won first time out at Newcatle beating a very nice horse of Karl Burke's on debut and he could go to the Craven meeting for a novice or the Feilden. He's very impressive.
"We also have Dividend who is probably going for the Esher Cup at Sandown at the end of next month and then maybe for the Britannia at Royal Ascot."
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