8.40pm Leicester Tips & Betting Preview 02/08/2017

A mile handicap is the final race of Wednesday’s action. Our runner by runner preview and expert tip is below for the ‘lucky last!’

IN SUMMARY: LOVELY ACCLAMATION has the potential to improve for this step up in trip, with soft ground winners in her pedigree, she should be fine on the ground and looks overpriced. Belisa looks the main danger to the selection, a pair of decent runs since going handicapping with the promise of more to come. Mark Of Excellence needs to be watched given such a lowly mark for a Godolphin horse while Careyanne may just outrun her huge price.

1 LOVELY ACCLAMATION – Shaped as if a step up to this trip would suit when keeping on at one pace over a furlong less on her handicap debut. Is yet to run on anything but good to firm on turf so the soft ground is something of an unknown, but there are a number of soft ground winners on her dam side so it could improve her. Gets the vote at an each way price dropped in class.

2 TIME TO SEA – Ran her best race over this trip at Nottingham on her handicap debut. That was on good to soft ground so there are no concerns over conditions for her from the same mark. The step up to a mile and a quarter didn’t help last time out, has a chance now back to what looks a more suitable trip.

3 MAMA AFRICA – Sixteen race maiden ran her best race when faced with genuinely soft ground at Nottingham. This is her first go dropped to a Class 6 so she must be considered a danger to all with conditions to suit, but may once more find at least one too strong in the finish given her run of placed form.

4 COVERHAM – NON RUNNER Another long standing maiden, unable to get his head in front so far from fourteen career starts. He is another to have shown his best form when granted similar ground conditions to now, but that was over seven furlongs. He has flattened out close home on a number of occasions so an eighth furlong in soft ground might stretch his stamina too far.

5 BELISA – Showed very little when 100/1 in three maidens, enjoying the switch to handicap company, winning at the first attempt. She proved that to be no fluke, following up with a smart run on good to soft at Hamilton last time. The ground will suit here, as will the stiff mile, there should be enough improvement in the tank to cope with a three pound rise.

6 NORTHDOWN – Far better on the all weather on the limited evidence so far. The level of his form on grass has been twenty pounds inferior on what we have seen, including this season. His turf mark is only nine pounds lower which makes him tough to support.

7 MARK OF EXCELLENCE – Godolphin colt has been steadily progressive in three runs, albeit at a moderate level. Cheekpieces and then a visor have been sported the last twice, but no headgear is fitted for his handicap debut. His dam was twice placed on soft, so conditions shouldn’t be a concern but the lack of headgear is a question mark.

8 PITCH HIGH – Eight race maiden has dropped a stone in the weights in his five handicap starts. He showed a little promise over seven furlongs this year, stepped up to ten as a result of his running on effort. This trip might suit him best and has an each way squeak at a big price if the ground dries up sufficiently.

9 MADAM PRANCEALOT – Won off six pounds higher as a juvenile over a mile on good to soft ground. conditions will therefore be no problem to her – nor this handicap mark – but she has shown little since. She makes her debut for a new yard here and that will have to rejuvenate her if she is to take a hand in the finish.

10 CAREYANNE – Best of her three runs for a mark came over this course and distance on good to soft. She was still beaten eleven lengths on that occasion, but she begins her handicapping career from a basement mark. This discipline should suit her better and a better showing at a big price would be no surprise.

11 GREYJOY – Thirteen race maiden has looked regressive this season. Difficult to give him any sort of a chance, it would be disappointing for the future form of the others in this race if he were able to make the frame.

12 SILVER MIST – Was supported ahead of her handicap debut, her first start for the Sylvester Kirk yard. She was never really travelling with any fluency then, nor at Lingfield on Saturday when last seen. She has done little to justify even this basement mark and is impossible to support.

13 UNONOTHINJONSNOW – Making a belated seasonal debut, his handicap debut. Showed next to nothing in three maidens as a juvenile, beating home just two horses in total. Will have to have improved out of all recognition over the winter to have any say.