7.15pm Wolverhampton Tips & Betting Preview 25/02/2017

The 7.15 at Wolverhampton is a small but competitive sprint over the minimum distance, see our betting tips and the full race preview below.

IN SUMMARY: This is a really competitive handicap but it could be worth sticking with the Kevin Ryan trained MAJOR JUMBO. He’s now 6lbs better off with Wild Approach for a short head defeat and the switch to Wolverhampton should suit if he can make all from stall 3 and should be hard to pass on a fair handicap mark. Lewis Edmunds has been in excellent form this season but he’ll have to be cautious of Monte Cinq who also likes to make all and will have to be careful not to sacrifice his chance early on.

1 MONTE CINQ – Has turned a corner since resolving issues with his wind which saw him struggle in his first runs as a 2 year old. He found some good form at the end of last season and has now won or placed in 3 of his last 4 starts. He may have bumped into one on his last start when unable to give away 3lbs to a more unexposed rival and drops back in grade here to Class 4 company. However, he has been raised 2lbs again for that effort and connections have booked Clifford Lee to take 5lbs off the top-weight given he’s been raised 25lbs in the handicap in just four runs. He goes from the front and should give his all once again but with the possibility of a contested lead, he may find himself at the wrong end of the weights here and others make more appeal.

2 DAZACAM – Has been in fine form having notched up a hat-trick at the end of last year including over C&D. She was unable to reach Sutter County on her last start at Newcastle but deserves credit for her 2 1/4 length defeat having been 12lbs wrong at the weights. She likes to be held up off the pace and may be suited by a duel for the lead between Monte Cinq and Major Jumbo but if that fails to materialise, may not been seen to best effect coming off a slower pace. The handicapper has her where he wants her now left on a mark of 86 for the third time in a row and she may be another that is vulnerable to an improving sort. She’s respected here, but it may pay to look elsewhere as she finds herself on a high enough mark in this.

3 MAJOR JUMBO – Has been in fine form since returning from a small break, recording two placed efforts and a win. He attempted to make all on his last start but couldn’t repel the late challenge of Wild Approach, losing out by a short head having hung left throughout the final furlong. He’s yet to run at Wolverhampton but a left-handed track should suit and given he likes to front-run, he should be suited by a draw in stall 3. Lewis Edmunds is in red-hot form (31% strike rate at Wolverhampton) and he should make good use of him from the start with only Monte Cinq a realistic opponent for the early lead. He’s 6lbs better off with Wild Approach today taking into account his riders claim and with Wolverhampton likely to suit, could reverse the form here and has a strong chance for Kevin Ryan.

4 BLITZ – One of the more intriguing runners, this daughter of Exceed And Excel was bought for 120,000GNS following her first win in November last year. The form of that run doesn’t look particularly strong with both the second and third that day both failing to win in their subsequent starts. She’s likely to have commanded a sizeable fee due to her breeding potential but she’s certainly a good looking filly and Clive Cox may be able to eek out further improvement. Any support in the betting would be noteworthy but connections may have their eyes on future targets and off a 113 day break, is best watched today.

5 FEROCITY – Robyn Brisland’s charge has the plum draw in stall 1 but will need to do more here to win this. He broke his maiden tag (over C&D) at the third time of asking in a much weaker race than this but he did it well and the handicapper took a cautious view allotting him an opening mark of 76. He couldn’t capitalise on that in a conditions race over 6 furlongs at Lingfield but he was badly treated at the weights that day and deserves some credit for finishing as close as he did to the rest of the field. This race should be well within his range and a drop back to 5 furlongs at Wolverhampton should definitely suit, though he’s going to need to progress again now in a handicap for the first time. His trainer has been extremely quiet this year with no wins from six runners and is probably best watched today.

6 WILD APPROACH – Has thrived since switched to handicaps, recording 2 wins from 2 attempts at Southwell and Newcastle. He has overturned an odds-on favourites on each occasion and is very closely tied in with Major Jumbo here. He got the better of him on his last run but is worse off at the weights today and this will be his toughest task to date. Rated 70, he gets plenty of weight from his rivals and there’s no suggestion that this son of Approve is about to stop progressing, having shown an excellent attitude in both handicaps to date. He does have a bit to prove here though against Major Jumbo now on worse terms but he cannot be ruled out in this making just his sixth start.