16:15 Wolverhampton

Friday 24 January 2020

All16:1516:4517:1517:4518:1518:4519:15

Betway Apprentice Handicap

Off time: 16:16 | Winning time: 2m 0.28s

(11)

Amor Fati¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 9-9| J: Laura Pearson⁽⁵⁾| T: P D Evans| OR: 57| CD

14/1

Landed six races in 2019 but has somewhat lost his way lately. Has gone well here previously and mark is attractive, however he is hard to recommend at present.

Form: 08900-8

(2)

Earl Of Bunnacurry²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 9-8| J: Oliver Stammers⁽³⁾| T: K Frost| OR: 56| CD

25/1

Previous C&D winner who has been campaigned over further in recent races. Turned in a substantially below-par effort last time on stable debut after getting upset in the stalls, but an overall strike rate of 2-31 still makes him hard to recommend.

Form: 346830-

(4)

Apache Blaze^p²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-7| J: George Rooke⁽³⁾| T: R Brisland| OR: 55

7/1

Has a modest strike rate of 1-26 but has run well on both previous starts here. Drop in trip is a positive along with the rider booking.

Form: 27445-8

(9)

King Oswald^v1¹¹

Age: 7| Weight: 9-7| J: Toby Eley⁽³⁾| T: J W Unett| OR: 55| CD

12/1

Has been running better than recent form figures indicate and he is now down to a workable mark. His last two victories have come over C&D and new headgear now applied.

Form: 84760-5

(6)

Pilot Wings⁶⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-6| J: Elisha Whittington⁽³⁾| T: A W Carroll| OR: 54

11/4

15-race maiden debuts for an in-form trainer who can revive horses seeming on the decline. Claims on some of his old form, but latest efforts are far less inspiring. The market may provide further clues.

Form: 004580-

(10)

Dark Devil^p¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 9-5| J: Andrew Breslin| T: P Morris| OR: 53

33/1

Losses continue to mount having gone winless since September 2017. Latest efforts prove he remains in the doldrums and he looks easy to pass over.

Form: 04880-7

(8)

Is It Off⁴⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 9-5| J: Poppy Bridgwater| T: S Curran| OR: 53

7/1

Modest maiden handicapper who as yet hasn't made much of an impact for this yard (previously with Gary Moore). Ran poorly in a selling handicap last time in first-time blinkers/tongue-tie (now removed), mark declining but of little appeal currently.

Form: 740857-

(1)

Ocean Air^p,t¹⁴²

Age: 6| Weight: 9-4| J: Paula Muir| T: J C McConnell| OR: 52| BF

5/1

Returned from a break to make a successful raid on a poor race at Hamilton (8.5f) last summer (first-time cheekpieces). Off since disappointing when favourite at Gowran Park in September but represents a good Irish yard in a weak contest.

Form: 008/816-

(7)

Arlecchino's Leap^p²⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 9-2| J: Isobel Francis⁽⁵⁾| T: M D I Usher| OR: 50| CD

16/1

Scored here off a mark of 72 in March 2018 but has failed to add to his tally since. Mark has been plunging lately without any promise of a reversal in fortunes.

Form: 79989-5

(13)

Kybosh^p1¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: Mark Crehan⁽³⁾| T: M Appleby| OR: 50

9/2

Less exposed than most in this and latest effort can be forgiven as he failed to stay. Claims on his previous two runs when fancied in the market and revised mark entitles him to go close. Cheekpieces applied and capable rider employed.

Form: 30335-3

(12)

Longville Lilly^b²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 8-12| J: Laura Coughlan⁽³⁾| T: T Wall| OR: 45

150/1

11-race maiden has shown precious little thus far and has gone off at prices of at least 66/1 in all eleven starts. Impossible to fancy.

Form: 808708-

(3)

Monzino⁹

Age: 12| Weight: 8-12| J: Izzy Clifton⁽⁵⁾| T: M C Chapman| OR: 45| CD

200/1

Getting on for five years since his last success and almost two years since he went off at odds shorter than 100/1. Enough said.

Form: 0/790-87

(5)

Supreme Dream⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 8-11| J: Levi Williams⁽⁵⁾| T: S A Harris| OR: 45

125/1

Only podium finish in 17 starts came in 2018 and new stable have not had any luck in turning things around. Hard to fancy from out of the handicap.

Form: 8780-77

Forecasts

Pilot Wings (11/4), Kybosh (9/2), Ocean Air (5/1), Apache Blaze (7/1), Is It Off (7/1), King Oswald (12/1), Amor Fati (14/1), Arlecchino's Leap (16/1), Earl Of Bunnacurry (25/1), Dark Devil (33/1), Supreme Dream (125/1), Longville Lilly (150/1), Monzino (200/1)

Few of these make any appeal but this may be the right opportunity for KYBOSH to shed his maiden tag. The step up 1m4f clearly backfired last time, but his three prior runs give him hope and the handicapper has dropped him a couple of pounds. Irish raider Ocean Air has to enter calculations with Paula Muir on board. His only victory came in a poor race after a break and he faces a similar scenario here. King Oswald and Apache Blaze have each-way claims.