Star to shine at Wolves

Spiritual star winning at Newmarket WOLVERHAMPTON racegoers can seize an early initiative by lending their support to Spiritual Star in the opening race of the day.

The eight-year-old gelding is by no means a world-beater, but he surely has enough about him to end a maddening winless run in the eightand-a-half-furlong apprentice handicap.

Spiritual Star has rather been at sea for a while now. Indeed, he has not hit the target since October 2015.

Be that as it may, there were definite signs of life at Lingfield last time to suggest there is the requisite fire in the belly to win a small prize like this.

The son of Soviet Star was sent off a 5-1 chance in a one-mile handicap and came desperately close in the hands of regular rider Paddy Bradley.

Spiritual Star was stealthily held up by his jockey before he was produced with what looked a potentially winning run inside the final three furlongs.

But with the momentum seemingly behind him, Lee Carter’s inmate suddenly encountered a good deal of traffic problems inside the final 250 yards.

Once daylight appeared, he flashed home to finish third and was only beaten a head by Wink Oliver.

That run did not go unnoticed by the handicapper, who has raised him 2lb to a mark of 67.

Even so, it was only a few years ago that he was rated in the 90s, so that should hardly be an off-putting statistic.

With Bradley back at the helm, a big run is anticipated.

See Vermont has constantly found winning hard to do since he struck at Musselburgh last August, but all that might change when he lines up for theBetway Sprint Handicap.

Rebecca Bastiman’s sprinter is not getting any quicker, but the nine-yearold is a capable operator on his day.

He was not beaten at all far at Newcastle earlier in the month, either, and it is also pleasing to see Danny Tudhope keep the faith.