Monday’s Wolverhampton tips
14:00 – Sonic Pioneer
14:30 – Antique Blue
15:00 – Shiplake
15:30 – Pursuit of Truth
16:03 – Call Me Betty
16:35 – Arboreous
17:05 – Bold Suitor
17:35 – Jedhi Knight
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
SONIC PIONEER has compiled a good record since entering handicap company and looks likely to give another good account. He made a winning handicap debut over this course and distance in February and has finished runner-up on three of his four subsequent starts, including the last two. He found only an unexposed rival too strong at Haydock last time and remains fairly treated off only 2 lb higher. The application of cheekpieces for the first time could help bring about a bigger effort.
Three of the four runners in this novice are newcomers, including ANTIQUE BLUE who makes most appeal and gets the vote. Antique Blue, a €125,000 purchase as a yearling, is related to several winners and is out of a sister to Designs on Rome, a top-class performer in Hong Kong. Antique Blue is in excellent hands with Andrew Balding who had four winners at Royal Ascot.
SHIPLAKE shaped better than the result would suggest under testing conditions at Newbury on debut and, down in trip, he built on that to get off the mark at Newcastle. Shiplake was only a narrow winner and that form hasn’t worked out, but he won despite not looking like the finished article, and he remains capable of better. An opening BHA mark of 75 looks potentially lenient for this unexposed sort.
PURSUIT OF TRUTH was disappointing at Yarmouth last time, but it’s starting to look like he’s not as effective on turf, so he’s of interest back on the all-weather. He was beaten little more than half a length in fourth at Kempton on his penultimate outing, and a return to the sort of form he showed there should make him competitive off the same mark here.
CALL ME BETTY looked badly in need of the experience when only seventh on debut at Redcar in May, but she stepped up on that when runner-up at Thirsk this month, proving no match for the winner but pulling clear of the rest. Her trainer Michael Dods had been going through a quiet spell, but the yard had a couple of winners at Thirsk last week and Call Me Betty can add to the resurgent stable’s tally.
ARBOREOUS has shown run-by-run improvement on Timeform’s figures and found only a smart prospect too strong at Kempton last time. He was readily picked off by the promising winner, but he was four and a quarter lengths clear of the third who subsequently won a handicap. That form looks just about the best on offer and Arboreous is taken to get off the mark.
BOLD SUITOR is a consistent sort and has finished in the frame on his last 11 starts, winning a couple of times during that period. One of those victories was achieved over this course and distance, and Bold Suitor also ran well over this track and trip when runner-up here last time. Bold Suitor is able to run off the same mark here and looks likely to give another good account.
JEDHI KNIGHT made no impact in three starts in maiden and novice company, but he shaped well when third on his handicap debut at Redcar last month and remains capable of better. He never threatened to get on terms with the front pair, but he stuck to his task encouragingly having been caught further back than ideal. The form of that handicap has started to work out well and Jedhi Knight’s pedigree – he’s out of a half-sister to Melbourne Cup runner-up Marmelo – offers hope he can carry on progressing.
Monday’s Wolverhampton tips
14:00 – Sonic Pioneer
14:30 – Antique Blue
15:00 – Shiplake
15:30 – Pursuit of Truth
16:03 – Call Me Betty
16:35 – Arboreous
17:05 – Bold Suitor
17:35 – Jedhi Knight
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
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