17:25 Wolverhampton

Thursday 22 March 2018

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

32Red.com Handicap

Off time: 17:28 | Winning time: 1m 14.04s

(7)

Flora Tristan^h³⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-10| J: Josephine Gordon| T: M Botti| OR: 72

9/1

Has threatened to break her duck recently in maiden company (7f), and appears to be improving with racing. Dropped in trip for her handicap debut with a talented claimer taking off a valuable 3lb.

Form: 5-822

(5)

Madame Ritz^h²⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-9| J: A Kirby| T: R T Phillips| OR: 71| CD

7/1

Made all to score by ¾L in a C&D novice stakes last month on her first try beyond 5f. Showed some minor signs of temperament (flashed tail), but got the job done and not overburdened on handicap debut.

Form: 3-31

(10)

Gabrial The Devil⁴⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: D Tudhope| T: D O'Meara| OR: 69| BF

8/1

A beaten 5/4f at Lingfield last month (third), but that form has worked out well since with the winner Grandfather Tom scoring twice more. Twice a runner up over this trip on Tapeta, including over C&D, so has a semblance of a chance.

Form: 56242-3

(1)

Wazin^b1³⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: G Lee| T: S & E Crisford| OR: 69

9/1

Beaten just two necks on handicap debut at Newcastle last month (6f), and not helped by receiving a bump close home. Lightly raced with more to offer in a change of headgear (blinkers replace the visor).

Form: 34-43

(2)

Global Excel¹⁴¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: S De Sousa| T: E Walker| OR: 69

5/4

Cost 120,000 gns as a yearling, so falls firmly into the disappointing category so far. That said; he's had a winter to strengthen and could potentially reappear as a different horse now switched to handicaps. Still early days.

Form: 606-

(6)

Ce De Nullis¹⁵⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: Oisin Murphy| T: P T Midgley| OR: 68

28/1

Not the most convincing overall in seven starts on turf, with her best effort coming at Nottingham (6f good) in August when beaten 1L by Shovel It On. Ended the turf season out of form and is now switched down the AW route.

Form: 454200-

(9)

Directory²⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: Ryan Tate| T: J M P Eustace| OR: 67

25/1

Sold for 6,000 gns in November 2017 after making a couple of starts in France. Well beaten in a poor novice stakes at Chelmsford on stable debut last month, so plenty more required on handicap debut.

Form: 69-3

(4)

Sea Ess Seas¹⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: P J McDonald| T: J A Osborne| OR: 64

9/1

Cost £30,000 as a juvenile, but yet to sparkle. Tends to race keenly, and whilst finishing in the money at Lingfield latest (5f), it's fair to say that wind surgery hasn't brought about any significant overall improvement.

Form: 657-63

(8)

Alaska¹⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: Liam Keniry| T: J M Bradley| OR: 63| D

50/1

A winner for Sylvester Kirk over 6f at Brighton in June 2017 (good to firm), but out in the cold on both starts for this stable; 8,000 gns purchase. Falling in the weights, dropped 7lb since February.

Form: 2040-66

(3)

Brockey Rise^v²⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: B A Curtis| T: P D Evans| OR: 61| CD

11/1

Has rediscovered the form of his juvenile campaign in recent weeks, and was a decisive 1L winner of a C&D Class 6 handicap latest. Up 3lb, but also in grade and meets some far less exposed rivals.

Form: 56-6821

Forecasts

Global Excel (5/4), Madame Ritz (7/1), Gabrial The Devil (8/1), Wazin (9/1), Sea Ess Seas (9/1), Flora Tristan (9/1), Brockey Rise (11/1), Directory (25/1), Ce De Nullis (28/1), Alaska (50/1)

A race which should fall to one of the less exposed runners, with a couple of interesting handicap debutantes towards the top end of the weights. Madame Ritz was a winner on her first try at this trip over C&D last month, and shouldn't be overburdened by an opening mark of 71. However, the claims of both FLORA TRISTAN and Wazin are more alluring. The latter tries a different form of headgear (blinkers) after being narrowly edged out in a three way tussle at Newcastle, but the selection bumped into a promising horse (the Hugo Palmer trained Breaking Records) here recently (7f) and this keen going, inexperienced sort should prove well suited by dropping back in trip.