Wolverhampton 16/2/09

[RussP]

4.40 Wolverhampton Class 6 handicap over just short of 1m2f, with 13 expecting to face the starter. A very open heat with no definite fav and quite a few here to have reservations abouts. 3 of those that will be vying for favouritism had very wide draws in Agilete, Inside Story and Pelham Crescent, that's enough to put me off them. Emerald Rock comes straight from maiden company so I cannot have that either. Strike Force has a chance, now reunited with Jack Mitchell, who has won twice on the horse but the one for me is: Penang Cinta (RPF 13/2) - A really consistent horse but it has paid for this, not winning for just short of 2 years. However, tomorrow could see all that change. The horse goes back down to Class 6 company and sees it racing back at its last winning trip, over C&D, and just 1lb above that mark it won off all that time ago. Has been in the first 5 on its last 9 starts and gradually its mark has weakened. Has been raced at around 12f in the last months but now dropped back a couple of furlongs for this race. Campaigned in Class 4 and 5 company, off marks in and around 65. Is now back to just 61 and in Class 6, could go very close. After a couple of months off, returned at Kempton 19 days ago and finished 5th of 12 that day in this grade, off 62. Although that wasn't a fantastic run, it did record a good Topspeed figure and plugged on well over a trip too far. The track doesn't suit either and I think it will be better suited back at Wolverhampton. Jockey and stable both amongst the winners recently, and the combo looks in tip top form. Anything around 7's should be taken as I fancy this horse to return to the winners enclosure.

[fintron]

Re: Wolverhampton 16/2/09 Looks good Russ, 8's avail with Betfred this morning. The one I also like the look of in the same race is Emerald Rock, who makes his handicap debut. He finished 6th on his debut in a Nottingham maiden in December 2007 that contained Fiulin. Fair do's, he did finish a fair way behind the Botti horse, who is a handicap winner off 89 and placed in group company when last seen. However, he was closely matched with Millie's Rock, then with Mick Channon (only a neck seperated them) and that rival has picked up handicaps off 55 and 61 and 66 since. There was a lot of chaff in that maiden, but the 10th, Soundbyte, picked up a couple of handicaps off 53 and 60 in the summer, and to put everything into context, Emerald Rock runs off 61 here. He looks unexposed, open to further improvement and I feel that he has hinted at ability in maidens. He made a comeback run on the 19th January over course and distance and ran a little green, however, he shaped with promise, keeping on inside the closing stages and finishing only two and a half lengths off the winner (Brouhaha), who went on to boost the form with a handicap win next time out off 66. The second advertisement for the form comes through the second, Lady Longcroft, who picked up a Southwell maiden last time out with considerable ease. His final run came in a Kempton maiden over a mile. Again, he wasn't handed the best of draws, and it remains to be seen whether he would have been suited by an inside draw as his favoured running style is likely to be noted in time, but regardless, I think the trip may have been on the sharp side for him anyway. Although he is a Johannesburg colt, his previous run over course and distance suggests he can be effective over this sort of trip and moving back up in trip and starting life in handicaps off what looks to be a fair mark (given the formlines with Brouhaha and Millie's Rock) I think he is worth an each-way bet. 8/1 William Hill (bog) EW