BARRING injury Frankie Dettori is now certain to clinch the flat jockey's championship following Kieren Fallon's decision to take a couple days off due to ill health.
Dettori has been going great guns over the past few weeks and his journey to Bath should not be in vain courtesy of Tamative (3.00), strongly fancied to take division two of the EBF Maiden Stakes.
The Godolphin-owned two-year-old has taken time to get his act together, but last time out at Newcastle the colt showed he was approaching concert pitch by finishing runner-up to Michael Bell's speedy youngster, Glen Ida.
The weather has been pretty wet by all accounts in the west-country, however, the forecast soggy surface will not inconvenience confirmed mudlark, Autumn Wealth (4.30), a leading contender in the richest race of the day, the £10,000 Levy Board Handicap.
Amanda Perrett's lightly-raced three-year-old won his maiden at Beverley with incredible ease despite veering violently right-handed in the home straight. Curiously horses with similar steering problems often turn out to be extremely useful, therefore don't be perturbed if Martin Dywer and partner take a wander once the whips are up in the closing stages of the one-mile event.
In the final Apprentices Handicap, John Bridger's Harbour House (5.30) has conditions to suit.
Harbour House, who ever since his juvenile campaign has demonstrated a liking for a little dig in the ground, is sure to be expertly handled from the saddle by his most promising young rider, Colin Haddon.
Haddon will more than likely not be in a hurry to take a prominent early position in view of the fact that Harbour House, who is drawn low, ideally needs to edge his way out towards the middle of the course in order to launch his final assault.
Wolverhampton's brand new polytrack surface continues to attract rave reviews, which rather surprisingly isn't all good news since it has led to a situation where every single race is heavily oversubscribed.
Although on average five out of every six of those entered are eliminated due to low safety limits, the better class types such as Musical Fair (3.50) inevitably stand a decent of chance of getting a run simply because they occupy a higher position in the ratings.
Musical Fair's tendency to hang when under pressure need not be seen as problem seeing as the final turn is left-handed, the self-same direction that the selection usually drifts when maximum thrust is required.
Bryan Smart's raiders are always a threat when switching from turf to all-weather, prompting a good deal of optimism for his runner in the Bet Direct Classified Stakes, Atlantic Ace (5.20).
Two years ago Atlantic Ace won a Goodwood handicap off a mark of 89, so to see him now operating in a lowly 0-50 contest speaks for itself in terms of his collapse in form.
Such an alarming free-fall in the weights must eventually stop, and any supporters he may have left after a torrid sequence of poor results can draw comfort from a better effort at Redcar where he finished in eighth spot.
* JANUS, who napped 14-1 winner, Strathtay, on Sunday, followed up with 10-1 cracker Ok Pal at Pontefract yesterday. Our top tipster is now £21.25 in profit to a £1 level stake on the flat so far this season.
l Punters wanting to catch Channel 4's The Morning Line will have to get up an hour earlier this winter as the programme has been given a new time slot.
As from Saturday, November 13, the show will start at 8am and David Kerr, Head of Sport for Channel 4, explained: ''The aim of this move is to allow more racegoers and Saturday shoppers to see the show before they have to leave the house.
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