15:55 Wolverhampton

Monday 8 November 2021

All12:1012:4013:1013:4514:2014:5015:2015:55

Betway Apprentice Handicap

Off time: 15:55 | Winning time: 2m 41.80s

(9)

Army Of One⁸⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-10| J: Ellie Mackenzie⁽³⁾| T: M Hunt| OR: 59

16/1

Not disgraced on first of 2 starts on Flat for Mick Appleby during the spring but never threatened over hurdles for Richard Newland thereafter. Starts out for another new yard now.

Form: 4275-64

(8)

True Romance^p⁹

Age: 7| Weight: 9-10| J: Aidan Keeley⁽⁷⁾| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 59| CD

5/2

C&D winner. Latest win at Bath in July. 6/1, creditable second of 10 in handicap at this C&D 9 days ago. Looks competitive on form.

Form: 4/96152

(6)

Thunder Flash⁷⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-8| J: Ben Sanderson| T: Ian Williams| OR: 57| BF

5/1

Latest win at Chelmsford (10f) in August. 4/5, respectable second of 10 in minor event at Chelmsford City (10f) 74 days ago. Fancied to go well again back up in trip.

Form: 534122

(1)

Cafe Sydney²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-6| J: Mollie Phillips⁽³⁾| T: A W Carroll| OR: 55| D

10/1

15/2, respectable fifth of 12 in handicap at Bath (11.6f, good to soft) 21 days ago, weakening final 1f. Mark has eased a little more and return to all weather may help.

Form: 347565

(10)

Baileys Warrior^h⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: Stefano Cherchi| T: D Faulkner| OR: 60

16/1

10/1, last of 10 in handicap at this C&D 9 days ago, pulling hard and folding tamely. A stronger gallop here will suit ideally and she'd previously gone close at this venue.

Form: 483020

(3)

Fleursals¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-5| J: William Cox| T: A Forbes| OR: 54

40/1

50/1, respectable eighth of 18 in handicap at Leicester (11.8f, heavy) 14 days ago, paying for a big-race move early in the straight. Eased 2 lb since and not discounted for each-way purposes.

Form: 45/70-68

(5)

Walkonby¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-5| J: Aiden Brookes⁽⁷⁾| T: Micky Hammond| OR: 54

66/1

Eighth of 14 in handicap (80/1) at Nottingham (10.2f, good) 12 days ago. Can only be watched judged on recent exploits despite sliding mark.

Form: P48508

(7)

Bonnie Lad²⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: George Rooke| T: R Hughes| OR: 58

9/1

Latest win at Chelmsford (10f) in August. 12/1, bit below form seventh of 13 in handicap at Kempton (8f) 20 days ago. Significantly up in trip.

Form: 465167

(2)

Aljaryaal¹⁹⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: Harry Burns⁽³⁾| T: J Parr| OR: 57

8/1

Lightly-raced maiden. Sixth of 7 on handicap debut at Salisbury (12f) when last seen in April. Changed hands for 11,000 gns in July and market may prove a good guide now.

Form: 070-6

(12)

Holy Bee²¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: Alex Jary⁽⁷⁾| T: M L W Bell| OR: 57| BF

10/1

3/1, respectable fourth of 9 in handicap at this C&D 21 days ago, not clear run over 1f out but noted staying on. Still unexposed at this sort of trip and fancied to be in the mix.

Form: 799624

(11)

Thorntoun Care^b²⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 9-2| J: Bradley Harris⁽⁷⁾| T: R Fell & S Murray| OR: 51| CD

25/1

C&D winner. Twenty runs since last win in 2019. 22/1, creditable fourth of 13 in handicap at Newcastle (12.4f) 20 days ago. Blinkers back on.

Form: 972544

(4)

Grand Pianola^p,t¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: Ella McCain⁽³⁾| T: T D Easterby| OR: 51

11/2

Remains a maiden after 18 Flat runs but again ran well when third of 13 in handicap (20/1) at Newcastle (10.2f) 14 days ago, staying on. One to keep an eye back up in trip.

Form: 23-0933

Forecasts

True Romance (5/2), Thunder Flash (5/1), Grand Pianola (11/2), Aljaryaal (8/1), Bonnie Lad (9/1), Cafe Sydney (10/1), Holy Bee (10/1), Baileys Warrior (16/1), Army Of One (16/1), Thorntoun Care (25/1), Fleursals (40/1), Walkonby (66/1)

A wide-open finale with the narrow vote in favour of HOLY BEE. She was far from disgraced when fourth in a C&D handicap 3 weeks ago and, with the prospect of a little more to come, she could be worth siding with. Thunder Flash is most consistent and feared back up in trip. Grand Pianola and True Romance complete the shortlist.