8.40pm Wolverhampton Tips & Betting Preview 31/08/2017

The final chance to have a bet on a busy Thursday of racing is a seven furlong handicap on the Wolverhampton Tapeta. Our runner by runner preview and expert tip are below.

IN SUMMARY: Flower Cup hasn’t got her head in front just yet but she remains consistent and should be on the premises under Silvestre De Sousa. Preference is for Roger Fell’s BEADLAM, who is 2/2 at this track and placed on the turf on her latest start at Ripon, running with credit after that run probably came too soon for her under a penalty. She still remains feasibly treated for in form connections and a return to the all weather will suit. Tony Hamilton takes the ride and she should take all the beating.

1 BEADLAM – 2/2 at this track, she has come alive since she was fitted with cheekpieces. She travels kindly towards the head of affairs, a three pound higher mark here than her last win shouldn’t be enough to stop her from going close again. The run at Ripon last time probably came a little close to her second win here when trying to defy a penalty. She sweated freely beforehand, looking to lose her race before it started. It was to her credit that she could still finish third and she can return to winning ways here.

2 KNOW YOUR NAME – Three times a course winner, including twice off the same mark as here. He is drawn in stall eleven which isn’t going to make his task easy given that he likes to race towards the head of affairs. Certainly has a solid chance of getting involved given his past record but that is going to depend hugely on how much energy he has to expend early to get a prominent position from a wide draw.

3 FLOWER CUP – Yet to get her head in front in eight career starts but she has been placed on five occasions. Connections continue to play the hokey cokey with the blinkers, on and off in turn on her last four starts, they are on now. She is showing very steady improvement and given her record she has an each way chance once more.

4 TAFTEESH – Sole win came in September 2015, he has slipped badly down the handicap from an opening gambit of 80 off the back of that to 62 now. He ran his best race since that win over this course and distance in April from seven pounds higher, so would be dangerous if able to repeat that effort. The Mick Easterby yard are in poor form at present however so he may be best watched until they are showing more life.

5 BELL HEATHER – Picked up a similar race to this over course and distance on her debut for Patrick Morris two starts ago. She reverted more to type last time out when never competitive at Chester. From just a pound higher than her win, she is certainly worthy of consideration, but her profile blows so hot and cold, she is hard to recommend with any confidence.

6 CALEDONIA LAIRD – Not the easiest to catch right but two of his four wins and all three of his runner-up efforts have come over this course and distance. He is off a workable mark at this Class 6 level to give him an each way chance in a race where there should be plenty of pace to deliver his strong travelling style into the race in the final furlong.

7 ART’S DESIRE – Seven race maiden, she has shown a few glimmers of form, but she hasn’t really progressed from the form she showed on her debut. She is two pounds worse off with Robbie Roo Roo for being beaten half a length at Kempton in June and drawn ten, this is no easy task to get her maiden tag finally broken.

8 ROBBIE ROO ROO – A winner on her only visit to this track last September, she scored again at Kempton in July. She travelled notably strongly on that occasion, the half length winning margin not indicative of her superiority as she had to wait a long time for a gap to open up for her. Just two pounds higher for that here, she has a strong chance in a race that should be run to suit her.

9 A SURE WELCOME – Won four races on the bounce split over a six month span, including twice at this course. He has been beaten three times since, all of them from this mark of 63 so that has to temper confidence in him a little. He ran a little better last time, travelling a little too strongly to leave himself anything close home to fend off the closers. If he can settle early on, he can be in the mix for the places.

10 IFTITAH – Winner of his only start on Tapeta, over this trip at Newcastle last autumn. He has not shown form anywhere close to that level in 2017. First time blinkers saw him at least a little more competitive last time out but that isn’t form that is strong enough to win this contest, he needs to come back to his 2016 best to have a shout.

11 CAPTAIN HAWK – Nine race maiden, he has already slipped sixteen pounds down the handicap since he began in this discipline. He showed a shade more last time when racing over this course and distance, but still needs to step forward plenty on that form if he is going to play a meaningful role here.

12 JOYS DELIGHT – Yet to get her head in front in her first six starts, she has shown some reasonable form in four of those six outings. She was fourth in a similar contest over this course and distance last time when in front of both A Sure Welcome and Captain Hawk. She would have an each way chance once more on that but a draw on the wide outside in twelve makes things much more difficult for her.