7:00 Wolverhampton (AW)
A Class 6 handicap over 6f20y on the standard surface at Wolverhampton features a field of 13 three-year-olds, most of them limited performers with modest official ratings clustered between 48 and 55. The KTB Fit Scores are headed by Barry The Worm on 66, some way clear of Territorial Star on 54, with the remainder of the field bunched between 51 and 30. Several horses have previous experience of the track and the surface, though many remain winless and arrive in ordinary form.
How the race shapes up
The pace shape is genuinely run with high confidence, featuring a front-runner likely to be pressed by several handy types. Masai Angel is the clear front-runner from stall one, with Bessie Wallis, Hvar, Bold Return and Navertity all inclined to race prominently or on the pace. This sets up a fair test in which the ability to quicken off a genuine gallop will be important, posing the key question of whether any of the hold-up performers can land a blow late.
The KTB Fit ranking
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1Barry The Worm KTB Selection66/100
Barry The Worm is a limited performer who has won twice from three runs at Wolverhampton and returns to a trip where he has already scored once. He drops back from 7f after a recent win at a longer distance, which adds some encouragement on the balance of his form. The trainer holds a 22% strike rate here from 23 runs, above his record elsewhere, while the jockey records a 12% strike rate from 590 rides at the track. With an official rating of 53 he carries a competitive weight. Usually held up and producing his effort late, he is drawn in stall six. His recent form figures read 785614 and he has two wins from seven starts on standard ground.
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2Territorial Star54/100
Territorial Star is limited on official ratings and with a career record that has produced no wins from 12 starts. He has placed on standard going and at this trip but showed only modest form when fifth on his sole visit to Wolverhampton. The trainer operates at a 12% strike rate here while jockey Billy Loughnane records a 20% strike rate at the track. Rated 53, he is drawn in stall five and typically settles in midfield. His recent form figures read 507473 and he has been placed twice from six starts on standard ground without winning.
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3Dabbling51/100
Dabbling is a limited performer who has shown just modest form this year and is now trying an AW track for the first time. He has placed once at today's trip but remains winless after 13 runs and has only one unplaced effort on standard going. The trainer records a 13% strike rate here at Wolverhampton which sits above his 8% elsewhere. Rated 50 from stall four, he is usually held up and produces his effort late. His recent form figures read 436036 and he carries a 3 lb claim.
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4Masai Angel48/100
Masai Angel is a limited performer who has shown little since early promise and arrives with a string of weak efforts. The step up from 5f to 6f asks a fresh question while the yard record a 15% strike rate at Wolverhampton that sits in line with their overall figure. First run here on standard ground adds further unknowns. Rated 52 and drawn in stall one, he tends to make the running or race on the pace. His recent form figures read 300057 and he has four runs on standard ground without placing.
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5Bessie Wallis47/100
Bessie Wallis is a limited performer who has shown little progress in 12 starts and finished no better than mid-division in six runs this year. She has a win on standard ground but only one placed effort from six starts at this trip and was well held on her only previous visit here. The trainer's 10% strike rate at Wolverhampton is above his overall figure. Rated 55 from stall seven, she usually races handily on or close to the lead. Her recent form figures read 448782 and she has one win and one place from four starts on standard ground.
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6It's A Mugs Game47/100
It's A Mugs Game is a limited performer who has shown little in six starts to date and looks up against it from a wide draw in a competitive field. He steps up to 6f for the first time today having failed to trouble the judge on his one previous attempt at the distance. The trainer at Wolverhampton has a 10% strike rate from 40 runs here in line with his record elsewhere. Rated 48 from stall 11, he typically settles in midfield.
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7Bleep Test45/100
Bleep Test is a limited performer who has failed to trouble the judge in six starts this year and now drops into a Class 6 for the first time. He did win over today's trip last season yet has shown little since and remains unproven on standard going. The trainer records an 11% strike rate at Wolverhampton in line with his overall figure while the jockey is 0-8 at the track. Rated 53 from stall 10, he is usually held up.
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8Hvar45/100
Hvar is a limited performer who has been out of form for some time yet possesses a solid course record with one win from two starts at Wolverhampton. The step back up to 6f looks a fair question after a recent 5f run and he has won at today's trip before. The trainer operates at a 9% strike rate here which is in line with their record elsewhere while the jockey rides at a 22% strike rate at the track which is above his overall figure. Rated 50 from stall 9, he usually races handily.
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9Love Alive45/100
Love Alive is a limited performer who has won once in four runs at Wolverhampton and is placed on standard ground. Recent form of 035970 offers little encouragement and the placed effort at today's trip has not been converted into a win. Both trainer and jockey operate at their usual level here. Rated 54 from stall 8, he is usually held up.
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10Sprinting Speed44/100
Sprinting Speed is a limited performer who has shown little in ten runs and was well held on his only visit here. He drops back to 6f today having failed to place in five previous attempts at the trip and holds no stronger form on standard ground. Both trainer and jockey record 10-11% strike rates at Wolverhampton that sit in line with their figures elsewhere. Rated 53 from stall 13, he is usually held up.
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11Navertity40/100
Navertity is a limited horse who has shown only modest form in three runs. He finished fourth of nine on his only visit to Wolverhampton and has been beaten at this trip twice already. The trainer's 13% strike rate here is in line with his record elsewhere while the 5 lb claimer is taking the ride. The dam has had one other runner, not a winner. Rated 54 from stall 12, he usually races handily and is dropping in class.
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12Bold Return33/100
Bold Return is a limited performer who has shown little since his early promise with a pair of placed efforts last year. He has run just once at Wolverhampton and once at this trip without success, while the yard's 2% strike rate here from 243 runs sits below their record elsewhere. Half-sister to Good Good Good who won twice from four runs. Rated 55 from stall 3, he usually races handily.
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13El Ghuwah30/100
El Ghuwah is a limited performer who has shown ordinary form in four starts and steps up from 5f today. He has run once over this trip without success and the small sample makes the surface an unknown. The trainer's 5% strike rate at Wolverhampton is in line with his record elsewhere. Half-brother to Gordon Norse who won once from three runs. Rated 53 from stall 2, he is usually held up.
KTB verdict
Barry The Worm stands out as the KTB Selection. He has already won twice from three starts at Wolverhampton, returns to a trip where he has scored, and comes into the race on the back of a recent success at a longer distance that offers encouragement on the balance of his form. The trainer's strong 22% strike rate at the track further strengthens the case. His main dangers are likely to come from Territorial Star, who has placed on standard ground, and the prominent runners Bessie Wallis and Hvar who both have course form and could be advantaged by the expected pace.
KTB Selection Barry The Worm
Early prices
The best price per runner across the bookmakers we track, each as first seen (UK time). Every runner had a price by 12:02am, 27 Oct. Prices move — see the live racecard for current prices.
| Runner | Early price | Bookmaker, time |
|---|---|---|
| Barry The Worm | 5/1 | BoyleSports, 12:02am |
| Territorial Star | 4/1 | Bet365, 12:02am |
| Dabbling | 11/1 | Bet365, 12:02am |
| Masai Angel | 17/2 | Bet365, 12:02am |
| Bessie Wallis | 11/2 | William Hill, 12:02am |
| It's A Mugs Game | 22/1 | Bet365, 12:02am |
| Bleep Test | 28/1 | Bet365, 12:02am |
| Hvar | 4/1 | Bet365, 12:02am |
| Love Alive | 18/1 | Bet365, 12:02am |
| Sprinting Speed | 13/2 | William Hill, 12:02am |
| Navertity | 28/1 | Bet365, 12:02am |
| Bold Return | 18/1 | Bet365, 12:02am |
| El Ghuwah | 28/1 | Bet365, 12:02am |
This is the narrative read of the 7:00 Wolverhampton (AW). For the live card — runner-by-runner stats, the full Fit Score breakdown and current odds — see the Wolverhampton (AW) racecard. Every result we hold for the track is on the Wolverhampton (AW) results & records page. How favourites, trainers, jockeys and the draw have fared here over the last five years is on the Wolverhampton (AW) racecourse statistics page. New here? How KTB works explains the Fit Score and why we publish both.
Questions about this race
Which horse has the strongest course record at Wolverhampton?
Barry The Worm has won twice from three runs at Wolverhampton.
How does the expected pace shape influence the race?
A genuinely run pace with a front-runner pressed by several handy types sets up a fair test in which the ability to quicken off a strong gallop will matter.
Which runners are likely to contest the lead or race prominently?
Masai Angel tends to make the running, while Bessie Wallis, Hvar, Bold Return and Navertity usually race handily on or close to the lead.
Which horses have previous wins on the standard surface?
Barry The Worm has two wins from seven starts on standard, Bessie Wallis has one win from four, Hvar has one win from three and Love Alive has one win from seven.
Who are the trainers with the highest strike rates at Wolverhampton in this field?
Edward Smyth-Osbourne has a 22% strike rate, Rebecca Menzies 12%, Ollie Pears 13%, Richard & Peter Fahey 15% and John Butler 12%.
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