BARLEY’ A SERIAL THREAT
THE ready preference in the ‘Rasen Rocks’ ft Ella Henderson Handicap Hurdle is for DEXPERADO (2.30).
Olly Murphy’s well-touted Long Draw was a bitter disappointment at Southwell last time, and maybe the soft ground was to blame.
Dexperado improved when a half-length second to the unbeaten Double Powerful over this C&D on his handicap debut three weeks ago.
He stuck on well all the way up the home straight when second last time, with the front pair finishing 45 lengths clear of anything else, and the handicapper could have been a lot harsher than a 4lb rise.
Nick Kent’s unexposed gelding is belatedly finding his feet and he should be hard to beat in a race where his rivals are struggling for winning form.
Rated
The Free Digital Racecard At raceday-ready.com ‘Confined’ Handicap at Wolverhampton (4.45) is for horses who have won no more than one race, and confined to horses rated 58 or lower.
It will take little winning, with BARLEYBROWN, on his second start for Ruth Carr, looking to have a great chance as the only runner with a positive profile.
Barleybrown won at Bath for
Eve Johnson Houghton in September, responding well to blinkers, but he didn’t repeat the effort on his final start for her and subsequently moved stables.
He came back from his winter break to run the in-form Drakeholes to two lengths over 7f at Newcastle on his debut for Ruth Carr, doing all his best work late, and this step up to Wolverhampton’s extended mile looks sure to suit.
A repeat of his Newcastle run gives him every chance, and there’s a distinct possibility he’ll improve today, with Carr’s horses usually all the better for a run.
That was the case with
Woodstock, who stepped up on his debut effort for the stable also at Newcastle) when winning well here last week.
That was the trainer’s sixth winner from 23 runners in the past fortnight, and the yard is clearly in top form.
MISS CALCULATION (5.20, Wolverhampton, Nap), isn’t the most consistent, but has been given a big chance by the handicapper in the Tips For Every Race At raceday-ready.com Handicap and ought to go well with a repeat of her C&D fifth in January.
She looks notably overpriced here compared to some.