17:25 Wolverhampton

Thursday 18 October 2018

All17:2518:0018:3019:0019:3020:0020:3021:00

Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton Handicap

Off time: 17:25 | Winning time: 1m 13.4s

(6)

Top Boy^v¹⁰^{(ex 6)}

Age: 8| Weight: 9-12| J: P Mathers| T: D Shaw| OR: 71| C| D

9/2

Posted a sixth AW win when scoring on Polytrack at Kempton (6f) last week; turned out quickly in a competitive race under a penalty.

Form: 228431

(7)

Compas Scoobie⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-9| J: Cameron Noble⁽⁵⁾| T: S C Williams| OR: 74| BF| CD

11/10

Impressive when winning at Chelmsford (6f) on his penultimate start, and went close to following up under a penalty on turf at Leicester last week; faces a difficult task with The Lacemaker (third) on revised terms from Chelmsford.

Form: 304512

(5)

Rockies Spirit¹⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-8| J: L Morris| T: D P Quinn| OR: 74| D

20/1

Not in peak form of late and finished last of 12 (admittedly the race has worked out well) on just his second AW start at Kempton (6f) 16 days ago; something to prove.

Form: 345660

(3)

Wirral Girl³⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: Sebastian Woods⁽⁵⁾| T: R A Fahey| OR: 73

8/1

Sole win came as a juvenile over 5f at Beverley in July 2017, and although largely consistent since she's not progressed; unexposed on the AW - a 3½L runner up to Magical Dreamer on her sole synthetics start (6f Chelmsford).

Form: 442326

(11)

Sir Roderic^p¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 9-7| J: A Kirby| T: B R Millman| OR: 72| D

8/1

Awarded the race in the stewards room at Windsor (6f) last month, but there's substance to that form with Parnassian winning since; 4lb higher, yet has continued to compete well since; wide draw a negative.

Form: 941374

(10)

Swanton Blue⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-5| J: Seamus Cronin⁽⁷⁾| T: E De Giles| OR: 70| CD

14/1

At his best on turf lately, justifying favouritism when beating Canford's Joy by 1¾L at Epsom (6f) on his penultimate start; beaten (third) under a penalty latest, but 2lb lower tonight for AW return (C&D winner in 2016).

Form: 462413

(1)

Round The Island²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-5| J: Phil Dennis⁽³⁾| T: R M Whitaker| OR: 70| D

16/1

Well suited by a 6f trip at Pontefract, and was notching a third win of the calendar year when gamely fending off Inexes by a neck last month; no issues with Tapeta (past Newcastle winner), but handicap mark continues to rise.

Form: 913914

(2)

The Lacemaker^p¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-0| J: Darragh Keenan⁽⁵⁾| T: C A Dwyer| OR: 65| CD

14/1

3lb higher than when scoring over C&D in May (11/4f), and got within 2¾L (third) of Compas Scoobie when returning to an artificial surface at Chelmsford (6f) latest; every chance of a reversal on significantly better terms tonight.

Form: 452673

(9)

Brockey Rise^v¹³

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: K Shoemark| T: P D Evans| OR: 65| CD

66/1

Poor show over C&D latest, and 6lb higher than when winning over 7f here on his penultimate start; shouldn't be totally dismissed, but equally isn't the most obvious of winners with that most recent run in the forefront of mind.

Form: 752310

(8)

Lucky Lodge^v¹⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 8-11| J: Cam Hardie| T: A Brittain| OR: 62| CD

14/1

Neck winner off this mark over 7f here in May, and bustled up the subsequent Wolverhampton scorer Billyfairplay when beaten a neck at Newcastle (6f) 15 days ago; should figure positively.

Form: 354552

Non-Runners

(4)

Big Time Maybe²⁶

Weight: 9-7| Age: 3

T: M J Attwater J: R Kingscote

Forecasts

Compas Scoobie (11/10), Top Boy (9/2), Wirral Girl (8/1), Sir Roderic (8/1), The Lacemaker (14/1), Swanton Blue (14/1), Lucky Lodge (14/1), Round The Island (16/1), Rockies Spirit (20/1), Big Time Maybe (20/1), Brockey Rise (66/1)

A competitive opener to this hastily arranged additional AW fixture, with Tapeta specialist Lucky Lodge on the shortlist from his last winning mark after a pleasing run behind the subsequent Wolverhampton winner Billyfairplay at Newcastle (6f) recently. Antony Brittain's 8yo is one of a number of in-form horses in the line-up which include Top Boy, Compas Scoobie and the wide drawn Swanton Blue. However, the selection is the Chris Dwyer-trained THE LACEMAKER. She has the assistance of talented 5lb claimer Darragh Keenan in the saddle, and has a healthy turnaround at the weights (for 2¾L) with her recent Chelmsford conqueror Compas Scoobie.