July 29 / 17.05 Wolverhampton (AW)

17.05

Standard

Silk Series Apprentice Handicap

  • Prize money: £5508
  • 1m 5f 219y
  • Class 4
  • 5 runners
SKY
View Course
Silk Series Apprentice Handicap

Runners: 5 runners

Type: Flat AW

Surface: Tapeta

Weather: Partly cloudy

OUR TIP

5/2 (Won)

  • Win: £2.38
  • Place: £1.40

Form: 632337 C

Last run: 34 days

W: 10st 0lb

6 yo Gelding

OR: 84

Form & Verdict
No win since March 2020, albeit there have been a couple of lengthy absences in the meantime; record around here reads 112236 (met trouble on the last occasion) and was by no means disgraced when seventh of the 18 runners in the Northumberland Vase at Newcastle (2m, Tapeta) last month; respected at this level.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

14th

6

(7)

24th Sep 2022

Good

2m 2f 140y

Class 2

15:25 Chester

Fair Star

8st 11lb

J: Ben Robinson

T: Brian Ellison

raced wide, midfield, pushed along over 4f out, ridden and weakened over 2f out, dropped to rear over 1f out, soon got behind, tailed off

12/1

3rd

1

(3)

15th Sep 2022

Standard

1m 4f 98y

Class 3

17:45 Newcastle (AW)

Fair Star

9st 12lb

J: Ben Robinson

T: Brian Ellison

slowly away, headway and prominent after 1f, led 2f out, ridden and headed over 1f out, kept on

9/1

11

(10)

11th Sep 2022

Good To Soft

1m 6f 115y

Class 2

17:05 Doncaster

Fair Star

9st 6lb

J: Ben Robinson

T: Brian Ellison

11/2

  • Place: £2.30

Form: 236-40 D

Last run: 27 days

W: 10st 0lb

6 yo Mare

OR: 84

Form & Verdict
3lb higher than for her latest win at Ascot (1m6f, good to soft) year ago and a solid return when fourth of eight at Goodwood (1m4f, good to soft) in May, but well beaten in the Old Newton Cup at Haydock (1m4f, soft) last time; 0-5 on the AW and a couple of the others hold stronger claims.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

3

(6)

18th Dec 2022

Standard

1m 5f 219y

Class 4

13:39 Wolverhampton (AW)

Vindolanda

9st 10lb

J: David Probert

T: Charles Hills

Five wins on turf, the last three over 1m6f; outclassed at Listed level last time but didn't run great in a 1m6f Redcar handicap the time before; has run well before at this venue, albeit in defeat, but needs to rediscover some form.

10/1

9th

9

(11)

27th Oct 2022

Standard

1m 5f 0y

Class 1

15:25 Lingfield (AW)

Vindolanda

9st 5lb

J: Daniel Tudhope

T: Charles Hills

dwelt start, in rear, headway on outer over 3f out, raced wide home turn, struggling when ridden 1f out

66/1

8th

2

(8)

1st Oct 2022

Good

1m 5f 218y

Class 4

17:07 Redcar

Vindolanda

10st 1lb

J: Paul Hanagan

T: Charles Hills

slowly away, soon recovered, took keen hold, in touch with leaders, went third but pushed along over 3f out, ridden over 2f out, soon weakened

15/2

Form: 42-245 C

Last run: 30 days

W: 9st 5lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 75

Form & Verdict
Won a maiden handicap here (1m4f) a year go, but that his only success in 13 starts; returns to this track for the first time since that win and the trip is no problem, so he can't easily be dismissed in the returning cheekpieces.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9

25th Jan 2023

Soft

2m 3f 66y

Class 4

14:15 Catterick

Maketh Believeth

11st 2lb

J: Jack Quinlan

T: Amy Murphy

Well beaten on final two Flat runs, most recently his yard debut; however, his best Flat form (RPR 82) entitles him to some respect on this hurdle debut for which he wears a first-time tongue-tie; each-way possible.

16/1

6th

4

(4)

16th Dec 2022

Standard To Slow

2m 2f 98y

Class 4

15:45 Southwell (AW)

Maketh Believeth

9st 10lb

J: Luke Morris

T: Amy Murphy

Ex-Harry Dunlop; sole win over 1m4f on Wolverhampton Tapeta in 2021; seems to stay 2m from limited attempts and although never in the game at Haydock in October he could still have a say on debut for new yard.

6/1

5th

5

(7)

14th Oct 2022

Heavy

2m 0f 45y

Class 4

17:08 Haydock

Maketh Believeth

9st 7lb

J: George Rooke

T: Harry Dunlop

in rear, pushed along and minor headway over 3f out, weakened from 2f out

6/1

Form: 11237- D

Last run: 315 days

W: 8st 9lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 65

Form & Verdict
Won his first three handicaps over 11.5f-1m6f on turf/Polytrack in the middle of last year, but form regressed in three further outings; returns from 315 days off having undergone wind surgery and is proven fresh; market may be informative.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

2

(7)

14th Mar 2023

Standard

1m 6f 21y

Class 6

19:30 Southwell (AW)

Yagan

9st 12lb

J: Luke Morris

T: Sir Mark Prescott Bt

Raced a bit too freely in headgear (now removed) on last couple of outings but still ran pretty well on both occasions and is now only 1lb higher than when winning comfortably over C&D last summer; shortlisted.

5/1

3rd

1

(9)

4th Feb 2023

Standard To Slow

1m 7f 218y

Class 6

20:30 Kempton (AW)

Yagan

10st 1lb

J: Thore Hammer Hansen

T: Sir Mark Prescott Bt

took keen hold, pressed leader

15/8

4th

1

(1)

22nd Jan 2023

Standard To Slow

2m 0f 56y

Class 6

13:15 Newcastle (AW)

Yagan

10st 2lb

J: Luke Morris

T: Sir Mark Prescott Bt

His record in Class 6 handicaps reads -111221; not at his best in an amateur riders' event at Southwell two weeks ago (1m6f) but ought to be seen in a better light today; strong candidate in first-time cheekpieces.

3/1

Form: 111232 C

Last run: 20 days

W: 9st 13lb

4 yo Gelding

OR: 83

Form & Verdict
Won five in a row over 1m4f on turf/AW between last November and March including twice here; has been placed in all three starts on turf since then (despite a rise in the weights) and was beaten just a head when second of six at Salisbury last time; has never attempted this far before, but this may not be the most severe test at the trip so likely to go close once again.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

2

(1)

27th Apr 2026

Standard

1m 4f 0y

Class 4

17:20 Lingfield (AW)

Way Of Life

9st 8lb

J: Olivia Tubb

T: Jonathan Portman

Kickstarted 2026 with success at Wolverhampton (9.5f) in March and backed it up with a good third of 12 in another 9.5f handicap there since; this C&D scorer can go well again off the same mark.

5/1

3rd

4

(12)

20th Mar 2026

Standard

1m 1f 104y

Class 4

19:30 Wolverhampton (AW)

Way Of Life

9st 8lb

J: Olivia Tubb

T: Jonathan Portman

His first seven wins were all gained over 1m4f/1m3f, with the latest of those last October, but he then made all under Olivia Tubb in a six-runner race over C&D 13 days ago; that win was by a neck and he's been raised 2lb since, but a wide draw complicates today's task.

12/1

1st

5

(3)

7th Mar 2026

Standard

1m 1f 104y

Class 4

17:35 Wolverhampton (AW)

Way Of Life

9st 6lb

J: Olivia Tubb

T: Jonathan Portman

Has gained all wins over 1m3f/1m4f, including at Southwell (narrowly) in October when last seen; the 8yo is still competitively treated on historical data but has something to prove back down in trip.

7/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £9.10
Straight Forecast £10.18
Trifecta £36.70

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Fair Star

LAMBOURN:

Way Of Life

Daily Express:

Yagan

The Sun:

Vindolanda

Telegraph:

Way Of Life

Daily Mail:

Way Of Life

Daily Record:

Way Of Life

The Star:

Yagan

RP Ratings:

Fair Star

TOPSPEED:

Fair Star

POSTDATA:

Fair Star

The Times:

Fair Star

The Guardian:

Fair Star

Daily Mirror:

Fair Star