16:25 Wolverhampton

Saturday 11 March 2017

All13:3014:0514:4015:1515:5016:2517:00

Betway Sprint Handicap

Off time: 16:26 | Winning time: 1m 13.04s

(1)

Eastern Impact³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 9-7| J: P Hanagan| T: R A Fahey| OR: 102

15/2

A likeable character but has been out for form for a while now and needs the handicapper to take note and cut him some slack before he can be recommended for win only purposes.

Form: 55-0803

(3)

Bowson Fred¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-5| J: Nathan Evans⁽³⁾| T: M & D Easterby| OR: 100

9/2

Started to show something like his old sparkle of late and may have turned the corner. Lacks scope for the upcoming Turf season, but has a solid profile for a race of this nature, so will be interesting to see if the market suggests this will be his Waterloo. A leading contender on the best of his form.

Form: 532522

(6)

Old Fashioned^t1¹⁶⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 9-5| J: J F Egan| T: R Haugen| OR: 100

33/1

Lacking in experience on the AW but has a good strike-rate on turf in his homeland of Norway. Recently finished fourth in a Listed race, so has to be respected. Difficult to equate the worth of that form, so the betting market has to again be the best gauge.

Form: 542-970

(5)

Judicial^e/s,h¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-4| J: Joe Doyle| T: Miss J A Camacho| OR: 99

7/1

Capable on his day but is still 4lb above his last winning mark and, as he has a bit to find with Bowson Fred after their recent encounter, he looks opposable. Also off-putting that 6f stretches him to the limit, tough task .ahead.

Form: 03-7651

(9)

Go Far^v¹²

Age: 7| Weight: 9-0| J: David Probert| T: A Bailey| OR: 95

14/1

Often goes well fresh (backed up the theory with a solid performance over C&D last month) and has some decent course form to his name. Place claims at best now he has proved his fitness.

Form: 00-4109

(8)

Russian Soul^p¹²

Age: 9| Weight: 8-13| J: Oisin Murphy| T: J A Osborne| OR: 94

7/2

A multiple winner on the AW at Dundalk during his time in Ireland, but his form seem to have reached a plateau just now. Lacks room to manoeuvre from his current mark and may find a few too good on these terms.

Form: 55-2464

(4)

Shamshon^t¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 8-11| J: Andrea Atzeni| T: S C Williams| OR: 92

13/2

Better drawn than last time over C&D but has become hard to win with. Also has a bit to find with Bowson Fred and Judicial from their recent encounter; others appear to hold more solid claims.

Form: 51-5875

(7)

Gentlemen^h¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 8-11| J: S De Sousa| T: P S McEntee| OR: 92

6/1

1lb below his winning mark at Chelmsford last summer, so has claims at the weights. However, he is basically out of form at the moment and hard to fancy on recent evidence. Does go well at this particular course, though.

Form: 447848

(2)

Upavon^b,e/s,t¹²

Age: 7| Weight: 8-8| J: Aaron Jones⁽³⁾| T: S C Williams| OR: 89

8/1

Paid the price for a profitable spell last summer and may be better off conceding weight to lesser rivals these days. Has won off a 1lb higher mark in the past but appears to be at the absolute limit of his ability just now.

Form: 928-382

Forecasts

Russian Soul (7/2), Bowson Fred (9/2), Gentlemen (6/1), Shamshon (13/2), Judicial (7/1), Eastern Impact (15/2), Upavon (8/1), Go Far (14/1), Old Fashioned (33/1)

The presence of Norwegian raider, Old Fashioned casts a little intrigue over an otherwise ordinary looking handicap. However, his form is difficult to evaluate, so BOWSON FRED is forwarded as a more familiar option. Judicial is respected but may be better over the minimum trip, so it may be down to Shamson to spearhead the challenge from the rest. Eastern Impact faces a tough test at the weights but would have had the measure of this lot in his heyday, so has to be respected.