Wednesday Racing Tips: Gracious Leader looks ahead of handicapper say Timeform

• Al Rufaa to be suited by return to all-weather

• Gracious Leader stands out on ratings

• Equion can make the most of a drop in the weights

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Al Rufaa can capitalise on fall in the weights

Al Rufaa has endured a largely disappointing spell on turf but he has dropped back to below his last winning mark and it would be little surprise if the switch to the all-weather sparked a return to form.

Al Rufaa won off a 2lb higher mark at Wolverhampton in November and he also shaped well to finish placed on a couple of occasions, including when runner-up at Wolverhampton off a mark 8 lb higher than the one he competes from on Wednesday.

As a keen-goer who has to be covered up, Al Rufaa will need the gaps to appear at the right time, but the forecast strong pace is in his favour and he has shown that he's better than this mark. He's 1lb clear on Timeform's ratings and also has the + symbol to show that he could be better than he's been rated.

Gracious Leader can prove a class apart

Gracious Leader, a 250,000 guineas purchase as a yearling, failed to make a telling impact in maiden and novice company but, having been gelded, he proved a different proposition on his handicap debut at Lingfield last month.

Gracious Leader, a red-hot 8/13 favourite, was forced wide entering the straight when making headway, but he stayed on strongly to hit the front half a furlong out and drew clear to win by a length and three-quarters with plenty in hand.

The good closing sectional time he clocked suggests that he can have his effort upgraded and he still looks well ahead of the handicapper following an 8 lb rise in the weights - he's 8 lb clear of his rivals on Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings and there's the potential of more to come from this well-bred and lightly-raced three-year-old.

Equion has been found a good opportunity

Equion was disappointing on his first couple of starts this season but he produced a more encouraging performance when fourth at Haydock last month, arguably shaping a bit better than the bare result given he raced closer to the strong pace than ideal.

It's surprising that he's dropped 3lb to a career-low mark, and he is now 5lb below the mark he defied at Nottingham last year.

The form he showed last season places him 3 lb clear at the head of Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings and, in a contest where most have something to prove, he's taken to build on last month's step back in the right direction.

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