19:00 Wolverhampton

Friday 2 January 2026

All16:3017:0017:3018:0018:3019:0019:3020:0020:30

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Off time: 19:02 | Winning time: 1m 47.85s

(4)

Al Rufaa³⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 9-11| J: Callum Rodriguez| T: D & C Kubler| OR: 74| CD

5/2

C&D winner. Twenty four runs since last win in 2023. 10/1, shaped better than the result when fifth of 11 in handicap at Kempton (11f) 30 days ago, going off too hard. Drops back in trip, which looks a good move and he lurks on a dangerous mark.

Form: 772225-

(2)

Threatening⁴⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-11| J: L Morris| T: Sir Mark Prescott| OR: 75| BF

5/2

Latest win at Chelmsford City in November. Respectable seventh of 12 in handicap at Kempton (8f, 5/2) 44 days ago and that effort suggests he's summed up by his current mark.

Form: 545317-

(1)

Studious³²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-11| J: Cieren Fallon| T: D M Loughnane| OR: 75| CD

7/1

C&D winner. Latest win at Newcastle in November. Creditable fourth of 12 in handicap (7/2) at Kempton (8f) 32 days ago, clear of rest. New mark asks for more.

Form: 093714-

(5)

Ernie's Valentine¹¹

Age: 7| Weight: 9-8| J: Phoebe Edwards⁽⁷⁾| T: R Burdon| OR: 71| CD

14/1

C&D winner. Latest win here in November. Good fourth of 12 in handicap at Lingfield (7f, AW, 13/2) 11 days ago. Back up in trip and consistency is hard to knock.

Form: 132134-

(6)

Boubyan^p⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: Alistair Rawlinson| T: M Appleby| OR: 70

12/1

Shaped as though back in form when fifth of 12 in handicap at this C&D (28/1) 6 days ago, short of room. This is a slightly easier race so he needs considering.

Form: 006385

(7)

Soames Forsyte^p¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 9-5| J: Jason Hart| T: M Herrington| OR: 68| CD

40/1

Unreliable type. C&D winner. Three wins from 12 runs last year. Seventh of 10 in handicap at Southwell (8.1f, 20/1) 15 days ago, typically very slowly away. Hard to support with any confidence given issues at the stalls.

Form: 817907-

(3)

Tonal^p²²

Age: 6| Weight: 9-5| J: Ryan Kavanagh⁽⁵⁾| T: Ian Williams| OR: 68| CD

3/1

Course winner. Three wins from 9 runs last year. Evens, career best when winning 9-runner handicap at Chelmsford City (8f) 22 days ago. Merits consideration given he had a bit up his sleeve on that occasion.

Form: 381121-

(8)

Lessay^p¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-4| J: Paddy Bradley| T: P Morris| OR: 67| CD

25/1

Course winner. Latest win here in December. 15/2, sixth of 8 in handicap at Newcastle (8f) 13 days ago, not ideally placed. Isn't judged too harshly on that run but others still more persuasive.

Form: 865126-

Forecasts

Threatening (5/2), Al Rufaa (5/2), Tonal (3/1), Studious (7/1), Boubyan (12/1), Ernie's Valentine (14/1), Lessay (25/1), Soames Forsyte (40/1)

The return to this sort of trip will surely suit AL RUFAA and given the mark he's on these days, he looks ready to end a frustrating losing sequence. Tonal is a thriving rival who will doubtless be popular, with Boubyan also of interest at longer odds.

Prize Money

1st: £3,716.002nd: £1,744.003rd: £871.004th: £436.005th: £217.00

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