18:00 Wolverhampton

Saturday 14 April 2018

All18:0018:3019:0019:3020:0020:3021:00

FCL Global Forwarding Handicap

Off time: 18:02 | Winning time: 2m 0.1s

(10)

Compliance¹⁴⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-9| J: L Morris| T: J Tate| OR: 72| BF

14/1

Slightly disappointing last time when down the field despite having been sent off favourite on handicap debut. Needs to bounce back off the same mark.

Form: 0256-

(1)

Verstappen¹⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-8| J: Andrea Atzeni| T: M Botti| OR: 71

6/1

Only beaten by a neck at Kempton earlier in the month, and up just 1lb he has been threatening to get off the mark in handicap company in each of his two runs in this sphere so far.

Form: 744-52

(6)

Calling Rio¹⁴⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-8| J: Laura Coughlan⁽⁷⁾| T: D Loughnane| OR: 71

100/1

Very poor effort when last here last time out, and very difficult to see her bouncing back having been dropped just 2lb.

Form: 333440-

(8)

Breakfast¹⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: Rob Hornby| T: J A Osborne| OR: 70

16/1

Not disgraced on handicap debut last time, but he needs to learn to settle in his races, especially over this trip.

Form: 6344

(3)

Trogon¹⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: Charles Bishop| T: M R Channon| OR: 70

10/1

Beaten just half a length when last seen in at Kempton in early April. That was a promising effort and given he was forced wide there he may be capable of better from this more appealing draw.

Form: 6353-43

(5)

Whitehall^b1¹⁷⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: Josephine Gordon| T: Sir Michael Stoute| OR: 69

13/2

Not disgraced in novice races last year but will definitely be the type to improve for the switch to handicaps. Blinkers on for the first time and jockey booking is a positive.

Form: 948-

(2)

Broken Force³⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: P J McDonald| T: K R Burke| OR: 69

33/1

Only one of his three efforts in novice company was particularly interesting, and on his combined form he has plenty to find on handicap debut here.

Form: 07-6

(11)

Tommy Shelby¹⁸⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: P Hanagan| T: R A Fahey| OR: 68

66/1

Put in the best of his three efforts in novice company last time. Steps up in trip here but still makes limited appeal, especially from this draw.

Form: 5903-

(12)

Berkshire Royal⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: Jason Watson⁽⁷⁾| T: A M Balding| OR: 66| CD

13/8

Escapes a penalty for a convincing win over C&D earlier in the week, and with a repeat of that performance he would surely go close to make it two wins in a row, despite this being a tougher race.

Form: 8655-1

(9)

Admiral Spice^p¹⁸⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: R Kingscote| T: Tom Dascombe| OR: 66| BF

16/1

Remains a maiden but has definitely improved since stepping up from sprint distances. Should stay this far and makes each-way appeal despite the fact he is slightly higher in the weights.

Form: 778432-

(4)

Secratario^p¹⁴³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: S W Kelly| T: R Hughes| OR: 65

22/1

Has shaped as if this step up in trip should suit over his past few runs, and on the basis of his effort last time he should be able to operate off this mark.

Form: 524316-

(7)

Taifbalady²⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: F Norton| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 63

6/1

Took a step up on handicap debut at Newcastle last time. Sticks to a Tapeta surface here and has plenty of potential off this mark.

Form: 800-2

(13)

Sincerely Resdev¹³

Age: 3| Weight: 8-9| J: S De Sousa| T: P A Kirby| OR: 58

66/1

No better on handicap debut last time compared to his form in novice company. Slight drop in trip may help but still difficult to recommend.

Form: 654-4

Forecasts

Berkshire Royal (13/8), Taifbalady (6/1), Verstappen (6/1), Whitehall (13/2), Trogon (10/1), Compliance (14/1), Admiral Spice (16/1), Breakfast (16/1), Secratario (22/1), Broken Force (33/1), Tommy Shelby (66/1), Sincerely Resdev (66/1), Calling Rio (100/1)

BERKSHIRE ROYAL won well over C&D last time out and escapes a penalty for that performance, so it would be disappointing if he couldn't at the very least be competitive in this attempt to follow up, even if this is a slightly more difficult race. He is the suggestion, ahead of Admiral Spice, who may well improve for this longer trip, and Verstappen, who has looked threatening in the two handicaps he has run in so far during his short career.