The Racing Horse offers their Wolverhampton Racecourse Template for Friday 12 May 2023.
There is a 7-race card containing 5 Handicaps, 1 Novice and 1 Maiden Race.
The Tapeta going is Standard.
This racecourse and the figures that accompany it, will surprise most bettors.
For example, can you name the leading trainer and jockey at this course over the past 5 years?
Wolverhampton FAVOURITES (5 years) Non-handicaps Handicaps 2yo 97-232 42% -37.43 42-109 39% +27.89 3yo 153-333 46% -27.80 234-671 35% -24.91 4yo+ 83-190 44% +2.04 357-1165 31% -122.40 TOTAL 333-755 44% -63.19 633-1945 33% -119.42 TOP 5 TRAINERS past 5 years +/- E T Carroll (10%) 74-728 10% -87.82 +0% 2 D Evans (11%) 72-566 13% -67.79 +2% 1 M Appleby (11%) 67-583 11% -9.76 +0% 0 D Loughnane (11%) 56-487 11% -37.35 +0% 0 M Loughnane (9%) 56-560 10% -97.79 +1% 1 TOP 5 JOCKEYS past 5 years +/- R L Morris (9%) 105-961 11% -257.34 +2% 7 D Probert (12%) 91-747 12% -44.04 +0% 0 H Doyle (15%) 90-561 16% -43.87 +1% 0 J Mitchell (17%) 81-397 20% -62.74 +3% 0 R Kingscote (14%) 78-510 15% -124.87 +1% 0 TOP 5 OWNERS past 5 years +/- E Godolphin (25%) 55-199 28% -34.17 +3% 1 Saeed Manana (17%) 28-131 21% -11.28 +4% 1 Power Geneva (16%) 24-130 18% -0.32 +2% 1 A Brittain (8%) 21-245 9% -74.83 +1% 0 Ahmed Maktoum (25%) 20-56 36% -5.29 +11% 0 FIXTURES Friday 12 May 2023 Monday 15 May 2023 Tuesday 23 May 2023 Thursday 25 May 2023 Monday 5 June 2023
WINNING FAVOURITES: Given the amount of the poor quality of racing at Wolverhampton, we are continually surprised as to the high strike rates of winning favourites generally – but especially in non-handicap bargain-basement type races! So why is that?
Our only conclusion is the wisdom of the crowd is in regular play with horses they know! Worth pointing out the 5f, 7f and extended 1m starts can be tricky for the jockeys, and even the 1m4f start can cause a problem – the high strike rate is continually produced despite those draw concerns.
The big sample size at this course means the figures are real and unlikely to suffer fatigue in the future, so trusted at least to a relative extent.
Over the past 5-years, winning favourites at Wolverhampton record 966-2700 for a big 35.78% which is over 4% above the national average of 32%. Winning favourites in non-handicaps score at 44% but even winning favourites in handicaps score above that national average.
There is another factor which should count against/decrease these high strike rates, especially if we take their national averages into account.
If asked, could our reader name the top 5 trainers at Wolverhampton over the past 5 years? They are Tony Carroll (10%), David Evans (11%), Michael Appleby (11%), David Loughnane 11%) & Mark Loughnane (9%).
The low national averages reflect the quality of horses in their care and the standard of races they are running in, especially in the handicaps.
TRAINERS: Tony Carroll (10%) is the top trainer at Wolverhampton over the past 5 years and he has 2 runners tomorrow and one of those of interest. His runners are WEDGEWOOD 7.50 & FIELDSMAN 9.00.
Worth noting the trainer is just 1-38 for 3% over the past 14 days and now 0-30 over the past 12 days.
Harry & Roger Charlton (16%) are in the doldrums and now 34 runners without a winner over a period of 111 days, they have 2 runners including BRIGHT 6.05 & LOVE IS A ROSE 6.40
JOCKEYS: The best angle in for tomorrow's meeting could be the jockeys and their bookings, where three catch the eye, but only Luke Morris from our leader board is in action at Wolverhampton. He has a full book of 7 rides, which include: ALL ABOUT ALICE 5.30, POPULAR DREAM 6.05, MOTASALEETA 6.40, GOOD HUMOR 7.15, WEDGEWOOD 7.50, ELTERWATER 8.25 & LOS CAMACHOS 9.00.
One imagines at least one winner from those rides.
Andrea Atzeni (16%) has 3 rides, they are MR RUMBALICIOUS 5.30, MOUNTAIN LAKE 6.40 & LOUGH LEANE 8.25. Finally, Connor Beasley (12%) is riding well and has 4 runners, they include STEEL HELMET 5.30, TATTERSTALL 6.05, URBAN CHAMPION 8.25 & WELOOF 9.00.
From these 7 rides there looks a winner or two amongst them.
OWNERS: Three of our top owners have a single runner each, they are Godolphin (25%) who run MOUNTAIN LAKE 6.40, Saeed Manana (17%) run POPULAR DREAM 6.05 & Power Geneva (16%) have WELOOF 9.00.
Given the good course strike rates from these owners they are worth a look and filter.
Pertinence
5.30
STEEL HELMET (H Bethell) trainer +£77.37 when one runner at a meeting, Connor Beasley rides.
LA BELLE VIE (H Main) trainer +£87.18 when one runner at a meeting. P J McDonald rides.
MR RUMBALICIOUS (A King) attempting the hat-trick, has a 2lb rise, Andrea Atzeni rides.
6.05
BRIGHT (H & R Charlton) beaten favourite last time out, Trevor Whelan rides.
TATTERSTALL (M Dods) trainer +£36.23 when one runner at a meeting, Connor Beasley rides.
MORBOKA (G Boughey) trainer 22% in early season, P J McDonald rides.
POPULAR DREAM (J Tate) trainer 20% at the track, Luke Morris rides.
6.40
MOUNTAIN LAKE (Saeed bin Suroor) trainer 25% at the track, Andrea Atzeni rides.
LOVE IS A ROSE (H & R Charlton) drops from Class 3 to Class 5, Trevor Whelan rides.
7.15
WALEYFA (A Haynes) 2 wins from 4 runs this year. Can score again under a penalty, Mark Crehan (3) rides.
GLOBAL TYCOON (J Butler) formerly with C Dwyer, first time blinkers, Harry Burns rides.
7.50
WEDGEWOOD (T Carroll) thriving, trainer +£10.71 with favourites, Luke Morris rides.
REWILDING (R Cowell) drops from Class 4 to Class 6, trainer +£32.87 with horses running after a break, George Downing rides.
8.25
BLUE YONDER (R Fahey) trainer +£48.90 with favourites, Jack Garritry rides.
LOUGH LEANE (D Simcock) drops from Class 4 to Class 6, Andrea Atzeni rides.
URBAN CHAMPION (R Phillips) drops from Class 4 to Class 6, Connor Beasley rides.
9.00
GUNNERSIDE (G Tuer) winner in the last 7 days, still well in on old form, Oliver Stammers rides.
LOS CAMACHOS (J Gallagher) Course winner. 14 since last win in 2021. Creditable 6th of 12 in Kempton handicap 25 days ago. Should give his running again. Trainer +£101.56 when one runner at a meeting, Luke Morris rides.
WELOOF (J Butler) last time out winner, Connor Beasley rides.
Wolverhampton’s 5f, 7f and extended 1m starts can be tricky from a jockey’s point of view, because they’re very much draw-dependent. It’s a big advantage being among the low, left-hand numbers. The 1m 4f start can also be a slight problem, but at least from there you’ve got a longer trip to get sorted out. Nobody went round the inside in the early days and, while I’m not sure it’s a disadvantage to be there now, most jocks still shy away from that rail. It’s a tight course, but well laid-out and very fair.
– Jason Weaver
Paul Moon – The Racing Horse