18:15 Wolverhampton

Monday 8 January 2018

All16:1516:4517:1517:4518:1518:4519:1519:45

Betway Casino Handicap

Off time: 18:16 | Winning time: 1m 59.87s

(9)

Unit of Assessment^t,v⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: A Kirby| T: W J Knight| OR: 65| BF

7/2

11 race maiden but running well in recent starts including when finishing a neck second over 1m2f at Lingfield last time out. Likely to run well once more.

Form: 934832-

(2)

Cat Royale^p⁴⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 9-5| J: Danny Brock| T: J Butler| OR: 63| CD

7/1

Finished a close fourth over C&D on his penultimate outing but well held upped to 1m4f subsequently. Return to this distance a positive today.

Form: 013040-

(6)

Showdance Kid²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-5| J: C Lee⁽³⁾| T: K Frost| OR: 64

8/1

Placed three times over 7f last year but well beaten on debut for this stable over 1m at Southwell last time out and stamina to prove in this contest.

Form: 332200-

(4)

King Oswald^p³⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 9-4| J: George Downing| T: J W Unett| OR: 62| CD

9/2

Best effort since winning over 1m on turf in the spring came when finishing 3L second over an extended 1m here a month ago. Races off a 1lb higher mark today and has run well over C&D in the past.

Form: 135552-

(13)

Sahalin³³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-4| J: Mitch Godwin⁽³⁾| T: J L Flint| OR: 62| CD

80/1

Won and placed in selling company a couple of years ago but well beaten over hurdles since and finish last of ten over 7f at Lingfield on last months return to Flat racing.

Form: 17162/0-

(8)

Berlusca⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 9-4| J: D C Costello| T: D Loughnane| OR: 62| CD

4/1

Finished runner-up over C&D on two of his last three starts most recently off this mark earlier this month. Has won off much higher marks on turf in the past and he is one for the shortlist today.

Form: 97620-2

(11)

Anton Chigurh^p¹⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 9-2| J: Nicola Currie⁽⁵⁾| T: Mrs N S Evans| OR: 60| CD

50/1

Winner three times on the AW but well beaten since joining this yard and more needed dropping in trip today.

Form: 246760-

(12)

Broughtons Story¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: S Donohoe| T: P J McBride| OR: 61

7/1

Successful twice on turf and a fair effort when 6L fourth over C&D on debut for this yard last month. Worth a check in the market today.

Form: 781514-

(5)

Shamlan³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 9-2| J: Ryan Powell| T: K Frost| OR: 60| C

14/1

Returned to form when finishing runner-up over an extended 1m here on debut for this yard last month. Interesting to see if he can repeat that effort on just his third attempt at this distance.

Form: 00/0002-

(1)

Wild Acclaim^h1,t1¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: L Morris| T: M Appleby| OR: 60

33/1

Eight race maiden and finished last of 12 over C&D last time out. Races off a 7lb lower mark today and wears a hood and tongue tie for the first time on this occasion.

Form: 237800-

(7)

Sadhbh²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: William Cox⁽⁵⁾| T: J L Flint| OR: 60

80/1

Maiden winner over 1m at Chelmsford in November 2016 but had just three starts since and finished well beaten in an amateur riders event over C&D on debut for this yard last month.

Form: 618/60-

(10)

Falcon's Fire^b¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-0| J: Oisin Murphy| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 58

12/1

Finished third over an extended 1m4f at Newcastle in October and well beaten subsequently. Dropping in trip today and others have a more obvious chance.

Form: 573604-

Non-Runners

(3)

Rock Icon²⁶

Weight: 9-0| Age: 5

T: J Hughes J: Tom Marquand

Forecasts

Unit of Assessment (7/2), Berlusca (4/1), King Oswald (9/2), Broughtons Story (7/1), Cat Royale (7/1), Showdance Kid (8/1), Rock Icon (10/1), Falcon's Fire (12/1), Shamlan (14/1), Wild Acclaim (33/1), Anton Chigurh (50/1), Sadhbh (80/1), Sahalin (80/1)

BERLUSCA returned to form with a second here earlier this month and he can go one better by taking this competitive handicap contest. The selection has won seven times here in the past and he can add to that tally today at the chief expense of top weight Unit of Assessment who can follow up his recent Lingfield second by filling the same position today. King Oswald is another to have finished runner-up last time out and racing off a 1lb higher mark he is taken to finish third today.