Wolverhampton Tips: Rosa deserves a round of applause

Thursday’s all-weather action comes from Wolverhampton in the evening, where there is a bumper nine-race card which gets under way at 16:30 and runs right through to 20:30.

There are plenty of runners across the night and the meeting highlight takes place at 19:00, which is a Class 2 handicap over 1m6f worth £12,988 to the winner.

16:30 - Dr Hackenbush @ 4/1

The John and Thady Gosden-trained Dr Hackenbush is the only ride on the card for Robert Havlin and that could be a telltale sign for this son of Ulysses on his nursery debut.

The two-year-old has improved with every start and produced a career-best performance when fifth of nine, beaten nine lengths, behind the 86-rated Al Mootamarid at Chelmsford 12 days ago.

That looked like a good race of its kind and the four to finish ahead of him are all going to have to compete off ratings in the 80s, so his opening mark of 70 may soon prove to be pretty lenient.

Dr Hackenbush travelled well through that contest before wandering around under pressure in the straight, but the Gosdens fit a first-time hood while a slight drop in trip could also be another plus.

18:00 - Rosa Applause @ 8/11

Unless well-bred newcomers See You Tonight and Alabama Belle are primed to go first time up, this doesn’t look the strongest of two-year-old novice contests over 6f and that means Rosa Applause should take all the beating.

Simon and Ed Crisford’s filly made a pleasing debut at Newcastle 21 days ago, finishing a length third to a horse with experience under her belt in Staincliff.

The runner-up, Lou Lou's Gift, had also run before and that filly has since franked the form with victory over the same Gosforth Park course and distance.

The daughter of Blue Point recorded a Racing Post Rating of 78 that day and she made her challenge down the middle of the track when the winner benefited from a high draw and attacked down the stands' rail.

19:00 - Barenboim @ 15/2

A number of runners in the feature handicap on the card over 1m6f have to prove themselves over this distance, but Barenboim doesn’t and he made a pleasing return over an inadequate trip at Chelmsford last time out.

That race was over 1m2f and was Barenboim’s first run for six months, but he was beaten only three lengths by eventual winner Base Note. The five-year-old travelled well through the contest but was tapped for toe as they quickened for home.

However, the handicapper has since dropped him 1Ib to a rating of 94, which leaves him only 3Ib above his last winning mark, although that is negated by the claim of crack conditional Adam Farragher.

Even so, David O’Meara’s charge should strip fitter for that recent run and he has evidently been laid to have a profitable winter campaign.

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