3.50pm Wolverhampton Tips & Betting Preview 27/03/2017

This is a competitive handicap over the extended 2 mile trip, see our betting tips and the full race preview below.

IN SUMMARY: Alan King’s GRUMETI stands out as having an excellent chance in this and if he takes to the tapeta he should take all the beating. He’s won one of the UK’s most competitive off 3lbs higher and drops into Class 4 company and he should have the measure of these if fully fit. Aldreth deserves maximum respect as he still looks to be on an upward curve whilst All For The Best could be worth a second look in the betting with the booking of Luke Morris catching the eye.

1 ALDRETH – Has been thriving of late having not finished outside the top three in his last 8 outings. They include two victories and he’s risen from a mark of 67 last October to today’s mark of 83 but he was going away in the finish of his last start and there may be even more progression to come. He will have to shoulder top-weight against some better handicapped opponents here but he’s impossible to rule out and should be in the finish again.

2 GRUMETI – Alan King has a 9% strike rate here but has had a winner from his last 2 runners and his gelding here is a nice type. He won the Cesarewitch in 2015 off a 3lb higher mark and he drops into Class 4 company for the first time in a long while so he stands out on paper following a 150-day break. He hasn’t won since October 2015 but he’s not faced opponents as weak of this and he could be a serious danger now returning to action. The only slight doubt is regarding the surface having only raced on the All-Weather once but if he takes to it he should be a massive threat.

3 ENTIHAA – Last victory came over C&D back in November 2015 and has had some issues since then having only raced five times with a switch of yards in-between. Has been beaten a long way since arriving to Dai Burchell’s yard and his best run came over 1m 4f at Southwell back in January. He is well-handicapped on old form but he looks regressive and others make more appeal for a yard with a 2% strike rate here.

4 LADY MAFKI – Still lightly-raced for her age and this grade and has found life tougher since notching up a hat-trick on the All-Weather back in the summer of last year. She’s still 5lbs higher than her last win and although a C&D winner, it’s tricky to expect a victory here without any signs of further improvement to come. She’s returning off a seasonal break and is another best-watched having not looked the best treated in her last couple of efforts.

5 ROWLESTONE LASS – Yard have a 4% strike rate here but this mare won on her most recent outing over 1m 5 1/2 furlongs at Chelmsford. That was her first victory in over 18 months and she steps back up in trip here off a 3lb higher mark which she may find on the tough side having looked very below par when running over shorter at Wolverhampton earlier this year. Clifford Lee has been in good recent form and is a decent booking but there are more reliable options in this.

6 ICEBUSTER – Tried 2 miles for the first time in a long while earlier this month and it nearly paid off having just been beaten a neck. The handicapper has been fair and left him on the same mark which gives him a relatively decent chance in this having been in a good vein of form since late January this year. He’s only recorded 4 victories in 57 runs and he’s thoroughly exposed but he should give his running again although this is a step back up in grade.

7 FIRE JET – Lightly-raced 4yo and is well-treated at the weights here based on the weight-for-age allowance she receives. She recorded a double on the turf in the latter half of last year and has paid the price for those successes now racing off an 8lb higher mark. She steps up in trip again here which is an interesting move given her best form is at a shorter trip and she may be opposable on that basis. This could turn out to be a slowly-run race though and she could capitalise if there’s a slow pace for a filly that’s still open to progression.

8 ALL FOR THE BEST – Has raced on the flat and over jumps since leaving Sir Mark Prescott’s yard and has recorded two victories since then over hurdles on the turf. He races here off a 2lb lower mark than when last seen on the flat having finished a respectable fifth at Goodwood back in May of last year. He’s not on the worst mark in the world and is only 5lbs higher than his last flat winning mark although that did come in weaker company. Perhaps not the most reliable of types but the booking of Luke Morris suggests a big run might be expected off a 2-month break.