Wolverhampton (eve) 12/11/08

[fintron]

6.50 One More Round is a horse in my notebook at the minute but I think he favours Lingfield more and is best effective in plating company. He's not raced in a handicap for just over a year now and although he is running off 65 now as opposed to 90 then, I'd rather watch him have a run first to then judge whether he is well treated for his next h'cap run. A wide draw will not inconvenience course and distance winner Feeling Fresh, who has won coming from off the pace, but he may need some help from the assessor as had been well held off 64 in recent runs. Desert Light is another CD winner but he has a little to prove at present. He won off 51 at Kempton earlier in the year and although failed to follow up at that track subsequently, was handed a poor draw. However, he had no such excuse when flopping at Great Leighs and although he may have needed the run when 11/12 at Kempton last time out, he is another probably best watched. The one that ticks the most boxes for me here is Welcome Approach. Daryll Holland's mount won over CD 12 days ago and was racing from 1 lb out of the weights that day. He came from off the pace that day and so his draw here, of stall 9, should not pose any problems. 2 of his 3 previous CD attempts have been successful and dropping in grade from his last run he could take all the beating. 3/1 Ladbrokes, 10 pts win. 7.20 I don't usually bet in maidens but am making an exception here because Ryan Moore travels to Dunstall Park tonight for his only ride of the day. The statistics tell you horses with previous racecourse experience dominate maidens but I think the fact that Rosika is Moore's only ride of the day is equally as informative as he isn't likely to be coming here to admire the scenary. Sir Michael Stoute has a strong record here (14-44) and his runner is handily drawn. 4/1 Sporting Bet 10 pts win. 8.20 This race over 1m 1f 103 yrds is a class 2 race which is unusual for Wolverhampton although most of the horses contesting the £12k prize are usually running in much lower grade events. Clive Brittains Intabih looks for the hat-trick and is a CD winner off a 6 lb lower mark. He leaps from class 5 to class 2 though here and so this is much thougher. Just Bond is another CD winner and although he flopped the other day and has something to prove, he has ditched PJ McDonald, which can only be a positive. His CD record is fantastic but he's never won at this level. Suits Me has been a class 3 regular in recent runs so at least isn't making a huge leap in class here. Tom Tate's gelding won off a 4 lb lower mark last time out at Ayr and although the trip is within his compass, he may favour slower ground perhaps. Hold the Gold is suited to the surface but is another racing out of a grade at which he is proven. New Star is only 3 lbs higher than when winning over CD three runs ago, but like many of these, his CD victory came in a lower grade. Final Verse has been contesting higher class handicaps and ran well last time out when second at Newmarket. A recent win at Kempton proves he will handle the surface and he looks one of the more likely winners. Boo looks interesting at a big price though. A dual CD winner when with Karl Burke, he is at least proven at this sort of level and although he is 5 lbs above his last winning mark, he finished a 0.5 length second off 1 lb lower back in April on his first start for this trainer. He's ran poorly twice since on turf and last time out finished 4/15 in a maiden hurdle at Stratford but there is no denying he is a better animal on the AW and the pick of his AW form has come here. 33/1 looks massive and at that price I'm prepared to have a little nibble in the hope that he hasn't lost all his ability just yet (only 6 yo). 10 pts EW @ 33/1 Bet 365 (1/4 odds on 3 places). 9.20 Laurel Creek looks the most interesting of these runners having finished a close second on her UK debut after coming over from Ireland. She finished half a length behind 82-rated factotum, and had Dance the Star, who had previously won off 75 well back in third. He's let in off a mark of just 65 here and dropping down in class (4 down to 6 here), he will face rivals rated no higher than 65. Bet 365 go 4/1, suggested bet 10 pts win.

[Spooner]

Re: Wolverhampton (eve) 12/11/08 Wolverhampton 18:50 - Feeling Fresh (Each-Way) Feeling Fresh is a c&d winner here, Performed well on the all weather last year at this track during the winter months. Ran well last time out at Southwell when finishing 5th, Stepping down in class tonight, Trainer had three winners in last 10 runs with two placers also, Should go mighty close tonight. 5pts e/w @ 8/1 Bet365