Wolverhampton Racing Tips: Astrophysics to rocket home

While Cheltenham draws to a close on Friday, the winter all-weather bandwagon rolls on, with Newcastle and Wolverhampton providing the action as we head into the weekend. Having taken a look this week at each of the all-weather tracks in turn this week, the focus is now on Wolverhampton, which stages a competitive seven-race card.

The opening 7f handicap at 17:20 features quite a few runners that appear to be out of form, though that can't be levelled at likely favourite Macs Dilemma, who ran really well to finish second to Million Reasons over this C&D last time.

Despite having a less than ideal trip, John O'Shea's charge ran up to his best to go down by only a half a length to a thriving rival. Raised only a pound for the effort, Macs Dilemma looks sure to go well again if turning up in the same sort of form.

Cents In The City was third behind Million Reasons and Macs Dilemma in that aforementioned race, when he arguably could have finished a touch closer. That was just his sixth start and he may well yet have more to offer.

While Million Reasons and Cents In The City both have solid chances, the value could well lie with the veteran Astrophysics, who has run several races this winter that suggest he still has a win in him, even at ten years of age.

It may be fifteen runs since Astrophysics last won in 2020 but he was very much back on track when third over 5f at this course last time.

Despite his age, he's very much unexposed at this sort of trip, having only tried it once his career, that when running well to finish second (beaten just a neck) in 2018.

In a race where plenty of others have question marks over them, I'd rather side with one who's rounding into form, and that appears to be the case with Astrophysics. He's more than capable of taking a hand in the finish and looks a sound each-way bet from a good draw in stall 2.

Old rivals clash again in the maiden

My other bet on the card will be Dalby Forest in the 6f maiden at 19:00, who I think can turn around the form from last time Sir Henry Cotton. The pair met over this C&D last month, with Sir Henry Cotton filling the runner-up spot behind Watermelon Sugar, with Dalby Forest just under a couple of lengths further back.

However, Dalby Forest was returning from a 189-day layoff and raced a little too keenly for his own good, leaving him juts a little flat in the finish.

With that run under his belt - and hopefully some of the freshness out of him - I can seen Dalby Forest taken a marked step forward here.

The icing on the cake for me is the booking of jockey Daniel Muscutt, who has been in flying form this winter. In fact, few jockeys on the all-weather are riding to his kind of standard at the moment and I'm really hoping he can take this level of form into the new flat turf season when that kicks off next week.

It would be richly deserved for a jockey who's had to work hard over the years for his chances but is now reaping the rewards.