The excitement continues on the tracks as a packed racing schedule unfolds, featuring the Southwell and Wolverhampton match, which will be live-streamed on Sky Sports Racing.
Wolverhampton’s Final Race Highlights Potential Horse of the Year Contenders
The concluding event at Wolverhampton promises to be a thrilling contest as several of the top contenders for the 2023 all-weather Horse of the Year title are set to vie for BetMGM’s Golden Golds handicap prize worth £250,000. Currently sitting third in the rankings is Tony Carroll’s Francisco, who has secured four victories and five second-place finishes this winter, and now aims for the impressive £100,000 prize money on offer.
David Simcock’s Mr Nuggets showed strong form until his recent underperformance at Newcastle, where he finished eighth in his last nine starts. David Egan will make a return as the jockey for this race, marking his first time back in the saddle since November.
Meanwhile, Aisling Oscar may be making the final appearance of what could be a record-setting all-weather campaign, having achieved an impressive eight consecutive wins. Adrian Keightley’s five-year-old sprinter is also listed for a six-furlong race on Monday, leading to uncertainty about his participation. However, should he compete, he is expected to approach this race with focused determination.
Debut Race Features Promising Yearling from Godolphin
An £800,000 yearling from Godolphin, Montevetro, is set to take to the track against four competitors in the Create Your Bet Builders at Midnight Maiden Stakes on Tuesday at Wolverhampton. This striking colt, a son of Meamus, boasts a familial connection to Irish 2,000 Guineas champion Mac Swinney. He finished second on his debut at Chelmsford just over two weeks ago, and with jockey Billy Loughnane on board, the expectations are high for Charlie Appleby’s three-year-old as he aims for a win in his second outing.
Royal Standard, a stallion by Sea The Stars, poses a notable threat, having finished fifth in his debut in a race won by the promising Oxagon. Andrew Balding, whose success rate at Dunstall Park has been impressive, hopes this increase in distance will suit the capabilities of his three-year-old contender.
Stepanov, a Star-Spangled Banner colt owned by Edward Bethel, aims for redemption following a disappointing debut when he was eliminated as the favorite late last year. His trainer will be seeking an improved performance on this longer trip. Rounding out the field are Tom Simmons’ Echo Valley and the Osborne family’s Cribbins.
Unbeaten Streaks at Stake in Wolverhampton’s Novice Stakes
The penultimate race at Wolverhampton features a compact field of four competitors in the Midnight Ain’t Your Grandad Bookie Novice Stakes. Starman filly Time to Takeoff, who is a half-sister to the Coronation Stakes winner Sarcine, will be ridden by jockey James Tait. After a disappointing debut at Nottingham last autumn, she has since improved, notching a second and fifth place at Nottingham. She will be partnering with Arc-winning jockey Rossa Ryan for this race.
The stiffest competition may arise from Merlier, trained by Archie Watson and ridden by Holly Doyle. Merlier narrowly missed out on victory in his debut but secured a comfortable win at Newcastle two weeks ago. Meanwhile, Burdett Estate enters the race with an established track record, having won over the course and distance last December at odds of 12/1. His experience may give him an edge in this contest.
Finally, Grant Tuer will ride Droz Star, who finished fifth in his only career start, while notable competitors Panama Black, Molly Foster, and Rossa Ryan’s Mt Farashi Lane may also contend for a win.
Notable Races Across Other Venues
Southwell will showcase five competitive fields in the 2:00 race, featuring Smurfette and Lilting Verse. Meanwhile, Saint-Cloud will present a promising maiden at 2:05, highlighting several well-bred contenders. The 2:40 race will include participants from notable operations such as the Aga Khan and Wertheimer.
Highlighting the day’s activities, the 3:15 Listed Prix Rose de Mai features twelve promising horses, marking it as a significant event. Back at Southwell, Jack the Savage aims to extend Laura Horsfall’s recent winning streak at 3:30, while Monsieur Cher and Brave the Waves will face off at 5:00 for consecutive wins. Rounding out the day, Auntie Jo and Kip Kelly will meet again at Wolverhampton at 5:30, followed by Beaumadier, who seeks to secure a top 10 spot in the Horse of the Year leaderboard during the 7:30 race.
