3.35pm Wolverhampton Tips & Betting Preview 09/01/2017

Just a field of four go to post for the feature race at Wolverhampton today worth £12,291 to the winner. Read on for our expert’s thoughts and betting tips.

IN SUMMARY: There is a distinct lack of pace for today’s feature race and that can play to the strengths of OUR CHANNEL who can dictate matters in this small field under Timmy Murphy especially if it turns into a sprint. He ran well to finish a close fourth behind the reopposing Forceful Appeal over Course & Distance a fortnight ago after a break of five months and will be tough to beat with that run under his belt. His conqueror that day should also go well given he is in the form of his life but the swing in weights for this contest tips the balance in favour of Jamie Osborne’s runner and he will be tough to beat today.

1 Our Channel – Had some good form when trained by William Haggas with three wins in eight starts last year over 1m2f including a Listed win at Kempton in March. Had his first run for this yard after a break of 153 days over Course & Distance on Boxing Day and was only beaten 1¼ lengths by the reopposing Forceful Appeal when fourth of 11. Form figures at this track read 34 from two runs and he ran to his RPR best of 103 last time out. Entitled to strip fitter for that run – has won second time out from the same weight of 9st4lb after a lengthy absence at the end of 2015 at Chelmsford. Should have the measure of that rival today receiving 9lb and strongly respected if settling better for a yard who have a 33% strike rate in the last fortnight.

2 Calling Out – Ran well to finish second behind Belardo in a Listed race at Doncaster (Soft) in April achieving a mark of 107 in the process. Beat the reopposing Our Channel in a Class 3 handicap at Lingfield over 1m just over a year ago and has a handy weight 3lb pull with that one now but has flopped in a Group 3 at Newmarket (Good/Soft) over 1m1f and another Listed race at Kempton over 1m on his last start since that runner up at Doncaster, finishing last in both races from a mark of 105. Makes his Tapeta debut today but well beaten into mid-division the last time he raced off 9st1lb and plenty to prove at present despite the yard having a 33% strike rate in the last fourteen days.

3 Forceful Appeal – Two time Course & Distance winner but seems to prefer Lingfield with eight wins at that course. Good strike rate last year with three wins from fifteen runs and beat some smart horses over Course & Distance two weeks ago (Our Channel fourth, Mythical Madness tenth) achieving a mark of 91 in the process. Has to give 9lb now to Jamie Osborne’s horse and will probably need another career best to win this but this 9-y-o is clearly in good heart at present and no reason to think he won’t go well again.

4 Mythical Madness – Returned from almost a year off the track in November to win a Class 5 race at this track over an extended mile when trained by Brian Ellison. Followed that up with a runner up finish on this course and a win over Course & Distance two starts ago in this grade having been switched to David O’Meara. Went up 5lb after those three good runs to a mark of 97 and well beaten when tenth of 11 behind Forceful Appeal two weeks ago. Better than that finishing place suggested but needs to bounce back in this and will need a career best to win despite his yard at 20% in the last fourteen days and the booking of Adam Kirby a plus, having won on him in the early part of his career.