Round Five Racing League Preview 2023 - Wolverhampton Meeting

The first race of the evening from Wolverhampton on Thursday is the Class 4 Nursery Handicap over 6f and drawn in stall 4 Suicide Blonde can see Team Ireland pick up from where they left off at Newcastle last week.

Seen three times during her career to date when making her debut over 6f at Newmarket in a hot maiden finishing in behind the likes of Sacred Angel, Ornellaia and Key To Cotai who have all since gone on to win.

Suicide Blonde then went to Yarmouth and ran a better race to finish a closer fourth behind another bright star in Queen's Quard for Michael Bell.

Last seen putting up her best effort to date when second behind a nice type for Charlie Fellowes at Carlisle, she now goes handicapping off a mark of 73 and with Dylan Browne McMonagle doing the steering this could be her chance to break her duck.

It could he a very good start to the night for Team Ireland as we think they will land the second race aswell with Momaer for trainer Mark Loughnane a big player in the Class 4 Handicap over 6f.

This season the filly has been a model of consistency for the most part, having her third run for the yard in January since moving from Roger Varian, she got off the mark for her career at Lingfield over 7f in a Novice Stakes, having been knocking on the door before that.

Putting in a blip run at Wolves over 7f after that on handicap debut, she quickly bounced back to form at Leicester when bolting up off a mark of 68 on her first try at 6f.

Upped to a mark of 77 when last seen at Chepstow in the Racing League where she ran a cracker to finish a close third behind the progressive Executive Decision and Nordic Passage, with the later since winning at Newcastle last week in a competitive race under this format.

Running off the same mark here but with son Billy Loughnane taking over to do the steering, his 3lb claim effectively sees Momaer race off 74 which from stall 2 could be huge.

We are all in on Team Ireland having a fast start on Thursday evening as we think they can land a hat-trick of races to start the night and bringing up the third win is Moonspirit in the Class 4 Handicap over 8.5f.

A filly for George Boughey that has shown some decent form in her four runs to date, making her debut at Newmarket in June when learning plenty for the experience.

Sent to Bath next time out in a Maiden over a mile she improved from her debut run to get off the mark having to overcome stumbling at the start of her race.

Sent into Handicaps off the back of that win when upped to 1m2f at Chelmsford she was a good fourth on handicap debut rallying well late on having hit a flat spot.

Last seen off the same mark of 77 at Newcastle last week in the Racing League, she was a close third in a better race than this over 10f and now dropping to this distance off the same mark makes her dangerous.

Team Ireland can't win every race on the evening and we think their good run could stop in the fourth event of the evening with What's The Story looking to have a big chance for Team Yorkshire in the 8.5f Class 3 Handicap.

Although a nine year old now he still seems to retain the best of his form throughout his career and since being moved to Richard Fahey from Keith Dalgleish his form has been consistent.

Making his yard debut over a mile at York in an 11 runner Class 2 Handicap, he finished a good second behind Blue For You for David O'Meara who is now rated 6lb higher.

Sent to Thirsk over the same trip when a narrow second on soft ground behind Another Batt, he was last seen at Sandown in another competitive handicap during the Sunday Series when not far back in third.

Running off the same mark of 89 he looks like an each way bet to nothing at 5/1, holding very consistent form at this level and better.

Race five on the evening at Wolves sees the Class 3 Handicap over 8.5f and Have Secret for Richard Fahey and Team Yorkshire can go close again.

A smart performer at the back end of last term when notching up two nice wins in handicap company at Haydock and Nottingham which saw him jump in the weights.

Starting this term off a mark of 89 when a good fourth at Newbury over 1m2f only finishing a length behind the winner Bertinelli who went on to frank the form.

Sent to Royal Ascot in June when again a close fourth off 2lb higher in the Golden Gates Stakes Handicap behind Burdett Road, he then went to Glorious Goodwood on soft conditions and put up a stellar second off 1lb higher behind the runaway winner Royal Rhyme, finishing best of the rest.

Last seen at the Ebor meeting on rapid ground in the Finale Handicap he did not run his normal race but now being dropped into a much easier event off 1lb lower he can resume his progress he has shown all season against better horses.

The penultimate race of the evening at Wolves on Thursday is the Class 3 Handicap over 1m6f and we have picked out a win and each way selection.

The first is the Tony Martin trained Belgoprince for Team Ireland who could still be ahead of his mark off the back of his latest success at Epsom.

A winner at Tipperary off a mark of 61 in a 13 runner handicap over 12.5f, he then went to Killarney off 4lb higher up to 14f and finished a narrow second giving 1lb to the winner.

Last seen in the Amateurs' Derby Handicap over 12f at Epsom when bolting up by 11 lengths, he only sees himself off a 6lb higher mark that might not be enough to stop him with Billy Loughnane taking the ride.

From an each way perspective Dark Island for Team Scotland could hit the frame at 9/1 being very consistent of late in similar races to this.

Not running a bad race on his seasonal debut over 1m2f at Sandown when fifth of 12 runners, it set him up perfectly for a crack at a similar handicap at Newbury off 1lb lower when a neck third, being a big eye-catcher staying on all the way to the line and unlucky not to get up.

Upped in trip when next seen at Windsor over 11.5f off 2lb higher than his Newbury third, he was only 1/2 a length back in second in a better race behind Mr Freedom.

Upped again in trip to 1m6f at Sandown during the Sunday Series, he was once again an unlucky loser back in second only going down by a nose off a mark of 73 and although 3lb higher, Gina Mangan offsets that weight to see him essentially race off the same mark.

Although looking hard to win with he has been knocking on the door constantly this season and should go close again.

The last event of the evening at Wolverhampton is the feature Class 2 Handicap over 6f and the horse that takes the eye is the Tony Carroll trained Lequinto.

A good second at Windsor three starts back over this trip in a good handicap behind Sterling Knight, he then went into an easier handicap off the same mark of 82 over the same C&D and got back to winning ways in good fashion.

Last seen at Windsor again in a much better Class 2 event, he was a neck second to Indian Creek giving the winner 5lb off a 5lb higher mark than when seen winning the time before, showing his progressive nature.

He does race off a further 4lb higher mark here but having been in smart form and drawn nicely in stall 4, at an each way price he has every chance of hitting the frame again.