3.10pm Wolverhampton Tips & Betting Preview 30/03/2017

This is a competitive sprint handicap over an extended 5 furlongs, see our betting tips and the full race preview below.

IN SUMMARY: This is a wide open contest and plenty have chances so it could be worth taking a decent price about GENTLEMEN. He’s begun to drop down the handicap and he races in Class 3 company here so a return to form could well be possible at a big price. Dubai One has an obvious chance at the weights but looks slightly on the short side and Fast Track could chase the selection home off a fair mark of 88.

1 KING ROBERT – Won in the first time visor in a Class 2 over today’s C&D in February. That was his first victory since August 2015 and he’s arguably on a workable mark now just 3lbs higher for his latest success and Bryan Smart excels with his sprinters. Stall 8 isn’t a great draw but he’s still a 4yo and there could be more to come with the visor kept on.

2 CAPTAIN DION – Has been progressive this winter with two victories and a host of placed efforts. He’s been sent off favourite on each of his last three starts and was beaten 1/2 a length earlier this month in a similar grade to this. He’s been put up another 2lbs following that run and this will require more again off a career high mark although Lewis Edmunds is on board and he claims a valuable 5lbs. Interesting sort, worthy of respect.

3 GENTLEMEN – Has been slightly out of form of late having been comfortably held in similar races to this. He steps down in grade today which will make life easier and he’s now 3lbs lower than his last winning mark which makes him feasibly well-treated on old form. He will need every yard of this trip and stall 1 means he will need to break well but he’s got a decent chance at a bigger price and he could be a bit of value in this.

4 NINJAGO – Without victory since March 2015 but he did run with credit in big handicaps across the whole of 2016. He returned off his season break with a decent fifth of twelve over C&D in February and he should strip fitter today with that run under his belt. His trainer has a rather uninspiring record here with only one winner from thirty runners and he’s been handed an awful draw in stall 10. Very good on his day but tricky to recommend here.

5 JAYWALKER – Lightly-raced 6yo and he finished ahead of Captain Dion at Newcastle last time out by 1/2 a length. He’s worse off at the weights today with that runner here and he faces a career high mark which makes him a less attractive prospect today although further progression is still possible. Others make more appeal in this for a trainer with a 7% strike rate here.

6 FAST TRACK – Finished ahead of Oriental Relation in January and has run with credit since in two tougher races than this. He drops down into Class 3 company today which looks like a positive move and his trainer has an excellent 20% strike here with a profit of £38.57 to level stakes. He’s 3lbs higher than his last winning mark and that was his first victory for a long time so this mark may be on the high side but he has a good draw and he has placed off marks in the 90.

7 AGUEROOO – Finished behind Jaywalker at Newcastle earlier this month and that was his first run for his new stable. He remains arguably well-treated as he’s now 3lbs lower than his last winning mark back in March of last year but that was a much weaker race and he has been frustrating at times for his previous stable. Paul Hanagan is an eye-catching booking (27% strike rate here) and he should do better with a run under his belt. Interesting.

8 STEVE PRESCOTT – First run for Patrick Morris (5 wins from 58 runners) here today. He paid the price for a comfortable victory at Newmarket in August 2015 and he couldn’t get his head in front off a higher mark subsequently. He was missing in 2016 and returns to action here off a 558 day break. It’s difficult to know how he will fare off this long layoff and is best watched off a possibly stiff mark.

9 ORIENTAL RELATION – Has been effective off this mark in recent starts but he let himself down with a very poor run at Kempton last time out. He’s 1lb lower for that effort but he’s now stepped up in grade and he’s going to be up against it here with a horrific draw in stall 11. His trainer did send out a winner recently but others are more appealing in this.

10 COSMIC CHATTER – Remains in Class 3 company having found a few too good last time out in this grade. He was entitled to take his chance in that race having won a 5 furlong sprint on the turf in October of last year although he still remains 2lbs higher than that mark. Yard finally sent out a winner the other day and he’s not without a chance here but others make more appeal.

11 DUBAI ONE – Saeed bin Suroor has an incredible strike rate at Wolverhampton (37%, 36 winners from 98 runners) and he fields an interesting one here. She’s an Exceed And Excel filly and she’s won three of her six career starts including two placed efforts. She won in a tougher race than this in early December of last year and is just 5lbs higher for that success in this. Oisin Murphy is booked (2 winners from his last 27 rides) and she gets a fair bit of weight from her rivals on today’s terms. Good chance in this.