Snow joke - Private looks booked for more success
The claims of Private Joke are no laughing matter, although it does not taken an Einstein to work out that he is the standout horse on the card.
A gelding by Oasis Dream, the three-year-old will be having only his third start when he lines up at Dunstall Park.
He made his debut at Kempton at the end of November and was sent off a short price favourite to oblige, but finding one of Luca Cumani’s three-quarters of a length too good.
Making no mistake on his next start, Nicky Mackay guided him to a comfortable success over this course and distance just a couple of weeks later.
Mackay stated after that victory that his partner was still pretty green, so there is every chance that experience will have brought him on a good deal.
The handicapper reacted by giving him a mark of 75 and quite what he achieved in beating a South African import is hard to gauge, but he looks to have plenty of potential to be competing in a race like this.
Gay Kelleway’s D’Artagnan looks the one to beat in the Stay At The Wolverhampton Holiday Inn Maiden Stakes.
He gets a nice Southern Hemisphere weight allowance and as that was his British debut last time, he can be expected to know more about the job on this occasion.
Most of his rivals look fairly exposed so he might not get a better chance than this to open his account.
David Flood has taken the decision to drop Talenti back in grade and it should bring about a return to winning ways.
He runs in the wolverhampton-racecourse.co.uk Selling Stakes after failing to cut much ice in handicap company last time out.
The five-year-old had previously been in a rich vein of form in claimers and sellers, winning four of his previous five starts.
He positively thrives on the Polytrack, while Dane O’Neill, who has been on board for all his recent successes, is back on top.
Another horse who is thriving of late is Tom Dascombe’s Ajara who is out again in the Call totesport 0800 221221 For SP+ Handicap.
A winner of three of his last four, in his own grade he is a formidable opponent.
Dascombe has hit a rich vein of form of late having saddled five winners in just over a week and his Cheshire base should be able to enjoy the Christmas with another winner.
