16:55 Wolverhampton

Thursday 22 March 2018

All14:1014:4015:1515:5016:2516:5517:2518:00

Betway Live Casino Handicap

Off time: 16:59 | Winning time: 2m 37.47s

(1)

Spiritual Man⁵⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 9-10| J: G Lee| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 67

18/1

Yet to reach the winners enclosure (flat or jumps) in 14 career starts. Pulled up on his chasing debut at Doncaster latest, it's back to the level for the first time since 2015. AW debut.

Form: 24469/

(10)

French Mix²³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: L P Keniry| T: Alexandra Dunn| OR: 67| D

16/1

Bought from Joseph O'Brien for £9,000 in January, she struck on her third attempt for this trainer at Lingfield last month (1m5f), when nabbing Smiley Bagel close home. Up 5lb.

Form: 447-481

(7)

Conkering Hero^v²⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: Oisin Murphy| T: J Tuite| OR: 64| D

12/1

AW regular who won from a 3lb lower mark at Lingfield in June (1m4f). Probably paid the price for doing too much at an early stage latest, and is now switched to race at Wolverhampton for the first time.

Form: 490-249

(5)

Excellent Puck⁵⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 9-5| J: K Shoemark| T: S Lycett| OR: 62| C| D

16/1

Not won since 2015, but is a dual course winner (1m1f+). Didn't appear to stay the 2m trip at Chelmsford latest and whilst placed over C&D prior to that on Boxing Day, he was beaten almost 10L by Ocean Of Love.

Form: 53243-4

(3)

Widnes^t,v¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-5| J: Josephine Gordon| T: A Bailey| OR: 63

11/4

Running consistently well of late at Lingfield, but without winning and gradually inching up the weights as a result. Appears to just about stay 1m4f, but is an 18-race maiden, so others are preferred.

Form: 4562-52

(2)

Oregon Gift^t³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 9-5| J: S De Sousa| T: C J Mann| OR: 62| D

11/4

Left Brian Ellison in the autumn, and has run a couple of solid races for his new trainer, including winning on debut at Lingfield in January (1m4f). Beaten off this revised mark latest, but that was over 2m. Strong claims.

Form: 3/065-13

(9)

Pour L'Amour²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-4| J: R Kingscote| T: D M Loughnane| OR: 61| CD

10/1

A C&D victory in May from a 2lb higher mark represents her sole career success to date (21 starts). However, she's more consistent than some and generally holds her form well so couldn't be readily dismissed.

Form: 57-3338

(6)

Rabbie The Bard³⁸⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-2| J: B A Curtis| T: P W Flynn| OR: 59

8/1

Made the frame on debut at Navan in April 2016 (1m) for Ger Lyons, but failed to kick on thereafter. Unexposed after just five career starts, and has previous synthetics experience (Dundalk). Market helpful on stable debut.

Form: 366/50-

(4)

Velvet Voice³⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-0| J: Gary Mahon⁽⁵⁾| T: M H Tompkins| OR: 58

33/1

An eight race maiden who needs to definitively prove that she stays this 1m4f trip; looks doubtful on the strength of her previous efforts. Stable saddled a winner at Newcastle on Tuesday Evening.

Form: 8/9285-0

(8)

Picture Painter^p³⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 8-7| J: Connor Beasley| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 50

4/1

Placed on both AW Flat starts for this trainer, but 0 from 16 overall. Well supported when winning over hurdles at Kelso in October (2m good), but he's well known to keep plenty back for himself, so that's enough to look elsewhere.

Form: 3357-32

Forecasts

Oregon Gift (11/4), Widnes (11/4), Picture Painter (4/1), Rabbie The Bard (8/1), Pour L'Amour (10/1), Conkering Hero (12/1), Excellent Puck (16/1), French Mix (16/1), Spiritual Man (18/1), Velvet Voice (33/1)

Widnes continues in decent form, but like so many of these runners, he struggles to get his head in front and remains a maiden with the handicapper ever so slowly readjusting his mark upwards. Picture Painter hails from much respected connections, but truthfully his attitude leaves plenty to be desired, so he's overlooked and therefore we'll opt to row in with the Charlie Mann trained OREGON GIFT. He was a winner over this trip at Lingfield in January (stable debut), and shouldn't be judged too harshly for finding a couple of rivals stronger off this revised mark latest (2m).