19:45 Wolverhampton

Friday 20 January 2017

All17:4518:1518:4519:1519:4520:15

Betway Middle Handicap

Off time: 19:45 | Winning time: 2m 39.55s

(1)

Trending^h,t²³^{(ex 6)}

Age: 8| Weight: 9-12| J: D A Parkes⁽⁵⁾| T: J Gask| OR: 61

11/2

Bounced back to form with a win last time and step up in trip may suit as he's won over this kind of distance before. Never won off a mark this high before but yard are in flying form and he can't be dismissed.

Form: 153777

(10)

Turnbury^p²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 9-9| J: Edward Greatrex⁽³⁾| T: Mrs N S Evans| OR: 64

40/1

Made no impact over hurdles recently and looks handicapped right up to his best back on the Flat. Unplaced on two starts here previously.

Form: 8-98653

(3)

Steady Major¹¹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-8| J: Charlie Bennett⁽⁵⁾| T: W M Brisbourne| OR: 63

50/1

Performed poorly when last seen in a seller and made no impression on two starts for this yard at this course. Has won on the AW but that goes back almost two years and hard to fancy in current form.

Form: 0-80997

(4)

Gambol^b1,h¹⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 9-7| J: S Donohoe| T: Ian Williams| OR: 62

10/1

Hasn't won since July 2014 and a fall over hurdles at Huntingdon in November unlikely to have helped his confidence. Yard have been in good form recently and he may have gone off too quick when seen here last week so worth a market check.

Form: 5060-76

(12)

Askari³⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: A Kirby| T: Tom Clover| OR: 65

7/1

Showed very little on all three starts for Roger Varian, virtually tailed off on every occasion. Has a wide draw and an absence to overcome so probably best watched.

Form: 050-374

(5)

Henryhudsonbridge^b¹⁷⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-5| J: Daniel Muscutt| T: J L Flint| OR: 60

40/1

Just one win in 13 starts and unplaced on every other occasion. Has an absence to overcome now and he was tailed off on last two starts so well being must be taken on trust and percentage call suggests he will need this run.

Form: 81607-8

(7)

Kay Sera²⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 9-3| J: E J Walsh⁽³⁾| T: A G Newcombe| OR: 58

9/2

Finally got off the mark at this track two starts back over C&D and finished a good second here last time. Up another 2lb for that but probably still feasibly handicapped now he's found his feet and likely to return in form.

Form: 512-516

(2)

Paper Faces^h1²³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: J Mitchell| T: R Varian| OR: 62

11/2

Still a maiden after nine starts and finished a distant second last time after having the run of the race at Southwell. Place chance if he can reproduce his C&D second here from a couple of starts ago but likely to face competition for the lead.

Form: 447328

(8)

Walkabout⁸⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 8-13| J: Liam Keniry| T: G Elliott| OR: 54

3/1

Still a maiden on the Flat and not placed in eight starts in this sphere but he looks on a good mark judged on his hurdles form. Two starts at Dundalk recently proved disappointing but likely to do better over here. Any market move would likely be significant.

Form: 00/8-670

(6)

Officer In Command^p,t¹⁵

Age: 11| Weight: 8-10| J: Joey Haynes| T: A Bailey| OR: 45

80/1

Has won twice at this course in what now seems like a former life. All wins have come over shorter than this and he was last and tailed off in a claimer at this course when last seen. Not much better in four starts prior to that and hard to fancy in current form.

Form: 52-3089

(9)

Sebastian's Wish⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 8-8| J: Shirley Teasdale⁽⁵⁾| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 53

9/1

Placed just once in nine starts and has a short absence to overcome here. The runners-up placed effort recorded at Newcastle was in an apprentice race with a promising jockey on board and he hasn't shown that kind of form in regular handicaps either side of that. Clearly needs to pull out more here.

Form: 46920-1

Non-Runners

(11)

Distant High²⁰

Weight: 9-2| Age: 6

T: R J Price J: Tom Marquand

Forecasts

Walkabout (3/1), Kay Sera (9/2), Trending (11/2), Paper Faces (11/2), Askari (7/1), Sebastian's Wish (9/1), Gambol (10/1), Distant High (33/1), Henryhudsonbridge (40/1), Turnbury (40/1), Steady Major (50/1), Officer In Command (80/1)

WALKABOUT has been a shade disappointing over the Irish Sea at Dundalk recently but this is likely to prove less competitive and he's on a good mark if he can transfer his hurdle form to the Flat. Kay Sara has hit some form of late and can't be ruled if returning in the same form. Trending's mark looks a little high but with the stable in good form, he could well be able to grab a place. 1. Distant High 2. Kay Sera 3. Trending