18:50 Wolverhampton

Saturday 7 December 2019

All16:5017:2017:5018:2018:5019:2019:5020:20

Betway Heed Your Hunch Handicap

Off time: 18:51 | Winning time: 1m 13.62s

(12)

Requited²⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: Charlie Bennett| T: H Morrison| OR: 70| BF| D

16/1

Versatile sort on the AW (won on Polytrack/Fibresand) over sprint trips; bounced back to form at Southwell last time over 5f (beaten favourite). Usually prominently ridden which may be difficult from a wide draw; chance but others appeal more.

Form: 172183

(7)

Alicia Darcy^b⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: Adam J McNamara| T: A Watson| OR: 70| D

12/1

Fair handicapper having already scored four times this year, all over 6f with one win coming on AW. Edged back down the weights of late returning from a break last time with a creditable third over this trip; can be slow away; needs others to falter.

Form: 455763

(8)

Laubali^p³¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: A Kirby| T: D O'Meara| OR: 69| CD

17/2

Won this last year off 3lb higher but has failed to score since then underperforming last time over C&D off last year's winning mark; finished mid-division. Has to be respected on course form; win last year came off the back of a poor performance.

Form: 538786

(9)

Chookie Dunedin¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-5| J: Ben Sanderson⁽⁵⁾| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 68| C| D

9/2

Off the mark for the year when given a rare try over 7f here on his penultimate start under today's rider, narrowly defied a mark that has fallen all year. Not in quite the same form last time (same C&D); reverts to 6f, has defied higher marks.

Form: 285015

(10)

Awsaaf^h¹⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-5| J: F Norton| T: M Wigham| OR: 68| BF| CD

14/1

Three-time course winner (3-6, 1-2 C&D); generally enjoys his visits, a return here may see him regain the form he showed when landing a hat-trick earlier in the year. Well backed last time out at Southwell; lurks on a workable mark back on Tapeta.

Form: 110845

(6)

Bahuta Acha¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: Jason Hart| T: D Loughnane| OR: 67| CD

11/4

Quirky sort who turned in season's best when scoring over C&D early last month off a 2lb lower mark on a rare AW visit. Remained in form last time returning here over 7f (trip stretched him); not certain to give his running again returned to 6f.

Form: 267214

(1)

Desert Fox^p⁴⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 9-4| J: S W Kelly| T: M Murphy| OR: 67| D

14/1

All four wins have come at this trip on the AW with Chelmsford being his favourite track. Gets another trip away from there as he did last time (ran at Kempton), shaping as if still in form but there remains a doubt about his effectiveness elsewhere.

Form: 521420

(2)

Dark Side Dream^p²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 9-4| J: Thore Hammer-Hansen⁽⁵⁾| T: C Wallis| OR: 67| CD

14/1

Fair handicapper who got off the mark for this yard/season when scoring off his lower turf mark in August. Produced two respectable performances back on the AW of late, both over 5f here, looks on a fair mark again; one for consideration.

Form: 791524

(11)

Spirit Of Wedza³¹

Age: 7| Weight: 9-4| J: Victor Santos⁽⁷⁾| T: Miss J A Camacho| OR: 67| CD

20/1

Only AW win came over C&D off a 4lb lower mark (won off higher marks on turf) but has run no more than creditably of late on turf/AW. Third behind Bahuta Acha over C&D last time; would need more than a repeat of that to make an impression.

Form: 574703

(3)

The Groove⁴⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 9-3| J: Cameron Iles⁽⁷⁾| T: P D Evans| OR: 66| CD

14/1

Three-time course winner with two of those wins coming over C&D but in less exacting company than he faces here. Has won subsequently off this mark in handicaps; below form on his latest start over 7f here; reported to have bled, caution advised.

Form: 141530

(13)

Landing Night^p,t¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 9-2| J: C Lee| T: R Menzies| OR: 65

20/1

Three-time AW winner (0-7 here) but has slipped below his last winning turf mark and caught the eye at Newcastle (5f) last time. Made his effort in an isolated fashion to finish third, keeping on well, 6f may stretch his stamina though.

Form: 104533

(4)

My Town Chicago³⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: J Mitchell| T: K Frost| OR: 65| C| D

9/2

Resumed winning ways over 6f at Kempton off a 5lb lower mark recently staying on well after being ridden with more restraint than usual. Already a C&D winner (ridden from the front on that occasion); needs to prove himself in this grade.

Form: 638271

Non-Runners

(5)

Top Boy⁵⁸

Weight: 9-7| Age: 9

T: A W Carroll J: Tom Marquand

Forecasts

Bahuta Acha (11/4), Chookie Dunedin (9/2), My Town Chicago (9/2), Top Boy (6/1), Laubali (17/2), Alicia Darcy (12/1), The Groove (14/1), Dark Side Dream (14/1), Desert Fox (14/1), Awsaaf (14/1), Requited (16/1), Landing Night (20/1), Spirit Of Wedza (20/1)

Not easy to ignore many of these with plenty of course form on display (six C&D winners, nine course winners) with trainer David O’Meara going for a hat-trick in this event with last year’s winner Laubali. He’ll do well to land this again with several of these coming into this in good form not least TOP BOY who appears rejuvenated for a move to the Tony Carroll yard. Awsaaf will appreciate being back on a surface that suits him well and he along with Dark Side Dream and Chookie Dunedin looks a triumvirate that could trouble the selection. Landing Night is another worthy of consideration after his notable run at Newcastle last time although this 6f may prove a furlong too far.