Today's Racing Tips: Mark Milligan's three to back at Wolverhampton include an 11/2 Star selection

Wolverhampton, 13:31 - Back Amalou @ 2/13.00

Despite having a nice pedigree, Amalou showed precious little in three starts as a juvenile and that pattern was repeated as she stepped up in trip for her three-year-old/handicap debut in August.

However, it was all change when she was fitted with blinkers on her second handicap outing at Windsor last time as Daniel & Claire Kubler's filly posted a much-improved effort to come home a neck ahead of Time After Time, with the pair pulling miles clear of the rest.

What was most pleasing about Amalou's effort there was the way she knuckled down under pressure, showing an attitude that one wouldn't always associate with a horse who was sporting headgear for the first time. Tackled by the runner-up in the final furlong, it looked like the selection would be overhauled, but the way she dug deep to find extra and not lie down is a trait that should stand her in good stead moving forward.

The handicapper has raised Amalou just 4lb for that win, which could prove lenient considering this filly's pedigree and how far clear both her and the runner-up were last time.

Notable winners from Mark in recent weeks

Blue Brother @ 9/1
Asia Force @ 6/1
Zgharta @ 9/2
Pierian @ 10/3
Devil's Peak @ 2/1
Silver Lake @ 2/1
Hoseki @ Evens

Wolverhampton, 16:55 - Back Star Of Mali @ 11/26.50

The Michael Herrington stable is having a stellar year and his Between Me And U is sure to be popular in this 7f handicap as he comes into on the back of purple patch that has yielded a hat-trick of victories.

However, he is now a stone higher in the weights than for the first of those wins and, while he isn't passed over lightly, I prefer the claims of top weight Star Of Mali.

James Tate's gelding should still be relatively fresh having made just three starts this season, and he was a winner on the second of those at Southwell in June, a race that has proven strong form as the season has gone on.

The selection's most recent effort when only fifth came in a higher grade, but he wasn't seen to best effect in any case, having been caught wide and also meeting a bit of trouble.

Star Of Mali is best given a pass for that run and, with this race representing a class drop from that latest one, he rates a good bet to get back on track.

Wolverhampton, 17:25 - Back Bintaziza @ 4/15.00

I was with Bintaziza in the 30-runner Sandringham Handicap at Royal Ascot back in June, but the filly was most disappointing that day, never really threatening and finishing down the field.

However, that was just her fourth career start and, on the face of it, she may simply not have been seasoned enough for the sort of test that handicap served up. It's also worth noting that we haven't seen her since then, so it's possible she may not have been 100% on the day, too.

Prior to that, Roger Varian's daughter of Study Of Man had won her first two starts and then wasn't seen to best effect on her handicap debut at Thirsk, where she was trapped wide throughout but still finished to good effect to be beaten less than two lengths into fourth.

The waters will be much calmer in this five-runner affair than they were at Ascot and I retain plenty of faith that Bintaziza can go on to win good handicaps, hopefully starting with this one in the hands of Ray Dawson.

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