1.50pm Wolverhampton Tips & Betting Preview 18/08/2017

A field of nine to go to post for the second race of the day at Wolverhampton on Friday. See our betting tips and the full race preview below.

IN SUMMARY: Suwaan has sound claims after a good run at Newcastle when last seen, but a soft lead is far from assured and that could scupper his claims. MIDNIGHTLY is also a front runner, but crucially she is drawn well in stall one and can use that draw to good use by attacking from the front here. She was denied a lead at Yarmouth on her latest start and still finished a good second ahead of Wild Approach and this race looks better suited for her. She has Martin Harley taking the ride and can gain an overdue victory for Rae Guest.

1 MIDNIGHTLY – Made all to break her maiden at the second attempt back in March at Chelmsford and she ran well on her latest handicap start for Rae Guest. She was only headed late on when finishing second at Yarmouth, half a length ahead of Wild Approach after she failed to bag the lead early on. She is well drawn to attack and is clearly running well at present, so she should take all the beating here.

2 WILD APPROACH – Can be a tricky customer for Robert Cowell who has been running reasonably well of late, finishing half a length behind Midnightly at Yarmouth on his penultimate start. He ran to a similar level when third at Yarmouth last month on the same terms and a turnaround with that rival looks unlikely as she’s drawn well. He has each way claims nonetheless under Luke Morris.

3 REEDANJAS – Has struggled since a debut win at Beverley in September, well beaten on most of her seven starts since for Gay Kelleway. She weakened out of things tamely at Ascot on her latest start but she now drops to a more realistic level and the handicapper has given her a chance by dropping her five pounds. If sparking again she’s got a huge chance here, but that is far from guaranteed and she remains risky.

4 FLYING FOX – Pulled well clear with Jeany when breaking her maiden at the second attempt at Beverley in July, but she was always behind when last on handicap debut at Yarmouth. She is only down a pound in the handicap and she has a lot to prove now, with this race being no easier than the last. The in form Robert Tart takes the ride and she’s not one to discount just yet, although she is risky.

5 JEANY – Back into maiden company on her belated seasonal debut for Bryan Smart and she was only narrowly denied when headed on the line by Flying Fox. She meets that rival on one pound better terms here which is interesting, but that rival flopped in handicap company on her latest start, suggesting that she’s likely to need improvement to take this. She’s an each way player as she should come on for that seasonal debut, but others look more likely for win purposes.

6 RAPID RISE – Eight race maiden whose form started to drop dramatically towards the end of his time with David Brown, always in the rear when well beaten at Nottingham back in May. He’s been gelded since and makes his debut today for Milton Bradley, with the in form Eddie Greatrex booked to ride and he takes off three pounds. Regardless, he’s best watched on this occasion as his form was very poor when last seen.

7 SECRET STRATEGY – Broke his maiden at the fourth attempt when being found a good opportunity at Brighton in May, but he’s struggled since switching to handicaps. He was last seen at Yarmouth when sixth and a long way behind both Midnightly and Wild Approach, so it’s hard to make a case for him on that basis, with the handicapper only dropping him three pounds.

8 SUWAAN – Son of Exceed And Excel for the in form Ruth Carr team who ran a good race on his latest start at Newcastle eight days ago. He raced alone before being headed inside the final furlong, only beaten three quarters of a length in the end. He remains on the same mark and that gives him each way claims here, but he won’t be getting a soft lead and that could scupper his chances.

9 BITHYNIA – Now a 15 race maiden for Christopher Kellett who has been solidly out of form for this yard and was well beaten at Nottingham. A return to the All Weather may help, but he’s far from convincing and others are readily preferred on this occasion.