Wolverhampton has an evening card I’ll be focusing there to start as I need to get my eye in with the Flat turf season getting under way at Doncaster at the weekend which Charlie mentioned yesterday.

Three-time champion jockey, Silvestre de Sousa arrives back from a successful venture in Hong Kong with rides at Kempton tomorrow.  So jockeys will be keen to poach a few more winners today before he returns.  The champ is 4/6 with BetVictor to retain his crown.  Biggest danger 13-8 Oisin Murphy, careful though championship doesn’t start for a while yet.

Ironic that two National Hunt training giants in Alan King and Oliver Sherwood take on each other in the first at Wolverhamption.  Tour De Paris and Geordieland will via for supremacy.  When last the horses met it was February 20^th, just a length and a half separated them with the aforementioned coming out on top conceding six pounds, this time round the concession is ten pounds.  Geordielad had been twice a non-runner prior, traffic problems and self certificate were the issues on this occasion with the weight advantage greater and no blips it might be advantage Oliver Sherwood’s runner.

A 20^th run at Wolverhampton for A Sure Welcome with a mighty record to boast, with six wins, three seconds and the same number of thirds at the course, he can’t be ignored at least for a place in the 5.30pm, the concern is the distance as most wins have come over seven furlongs.  Won over this minimum distance at the course last time and an extra four pounds in the saddle may prove an anchor and then again may not.  Can ill afford a tardy start with the extra burden.  A big danger in the race has to be Miracle Works who appeared to win very easily at Chelmsford last time despite pulling hard on his first run for trainer Robert Cowell.  It’s a good sign for supporters that there was something left after racing so keenly but in a race where every margin counts he can ill afford to do that again.  I’m just going to have a small interest in a forecast with these two.

Significant jockey booking for Movie Star in the 6.00 as Oisin Murphy is aboard, what a season he had last year when stacking up the Group Ones and he will want more of the same, plus he was just two shy of 200 winners for the year.  He boasts a 25% strike rate overall and joins forces with Amy Murphy who hasn’t been afforded the recognition she deserves. Movie Star had three races in Germany sufficiently good enough to suggest she could be leniently treated.

With expectation there is something left to give in reserve after his last success, Havana Rocket has been flagged up as a potential improver.  Andrew Balding is having a quiet period for him yet even so he has a nice bit of equine putty in Wolverhampton’s 7.00 to nurture.  There was the no fuss victory at Newcastle, a professional effort for one who has only had four previous races.  This could be another one in the win column for Oisin Murphy.

Hereford have a good competitive card none more so than the charity race that my friend, trainer Kerry Lee is riding in, wonderful effort by her and all the brave souls fundraising.  But that isn’t all I’m looking forward to, how about Zanzi Win, the French import has only had three runs for Harry Whittington, the most recent was after a second wind op.  He showed immense promise and improvement round a really tight track, if able to replicate that run has to be one to hone in on in the 2.30pm

Nicky Richards the master of Greystoke has boasted an excellent season which could be boosted further by the maiden Glinger Flame.  He has an opportunity in a handicap hurdle at Hexham at 3.40.  He arrives of the back of a solid performance at Ayr back in January behind the mare Off The Hook.  You may have seen the form franked at Newbury on Saturday when Off The Hook became Nick Alexander’s first run at the course and ran a blinder in fourth in a very valuable handicap hurdle.  Like her Glinger Flame is unexposed.

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