BEST of the BETS

6:45 Wolverhampton - a few 3/4 year olds in there but there are some potentially well handicapped horses among the older ones, and these are the ones I am concentrating on. There are a couple I like, one is SHEPHERDS PURSE, he has run well all four tries over this c&d - 3 of the runs were in Oct/Nov last year - 1 1/3 length win off 58, 1 length 3rd off 62, under a length 5th off 63, he runs off 56 today. Not so good this season, but even his 2 1/2 3rd off 60 two runs ago gives him place chance at least. Poor run last time at Ponty despite having a good draw, so that’s a negative.

Other horse is less obvious, REQUINTO DAWN has not won since his only handicap win (3yo) over 2 years ago, but he is 23 lbs lower than that win and I feel he will win a small race one of these days. He was very well backed for a similar race to this at Lingfield in June, and only got caught on the line. 3 poor runs on turf since then have seen his handicap mark drop to 4 lbs lower than that Lingfield race. Only run here once before, and well beaten but it was after a 6 month break and he most likely needed the run as he was a big drifter out to 20/1, so I would take no notice of that run. Any market support today would be interesting.

I wouldn’t completely rule out Ginvincible, who is returning from a long break, but James Given usually has them ready. Still not easy to win over 5 furlongs with such a long absence though, and 33/1 at the moment so unlikely but keep an eye on betting.

So I have split my stake on two, Shepherds Purse @ 9/1 & Requinto Dawn @ 11/1, both each way.

Good luck.