Wolverhampton Preview: Class-dropping Foxy weighted to score

The lightly-raced Foxy Forever can take advantage of a drop in class to land the 6f handicap on this afternoon’s eight-raced card at Wolverhampton (4.20).

The Michael Wigham trained four-year-old has only had seven starts and has clearly not been the easiest to train.

After making a winning debut over 5f at this venue on the old polytrack surface back in August 2012, Foxy Forever disappointed next time up and was subsequently off the track for 321 days before bolting up by three lengths in a class 4 contest at York in July 2013 off a mark of 74.

The gelding then endured another lengthy spell on the sidelines before posting a cracking effort to finish third of 11 in a similar grade affair at Newmarket back in May off 85.

Foxy Forever was given plenty to do at headquarters and endured all sorts of trouble in-running a furlong from home before running on strongly to go down by just 1/2 a length.

The son of Kodiac got put up 3lb for that effort, and has since failed to trouble the judged in three subsequent starts in class 3 contests.

However, Foxy Forever’s mark has fallen to 84 as a result and that makes him look well-treated now dropped back down to class 4 company.

It is the same grade as when Foxy Forever was last successful, and if the fitting of the hood for the first time has the desired effect he holds major claims of landing the spoils in the hands of Andrea Atzeni.

In the other 6f handicap on the card (3.50), everything looks in place for Mambo Spirit to run a huge race.

The Tony Newcombe trained gelding was successful three times last season, with the last of those successes coming a a class 5 contest at Salisbury on quick ground off a mark of 63 where he ran on strongly to beat Bajan Bear by 1/2 a length.
The 10-year-old then spent a spell in the wilderness, before taking advantage of his falling mark to get back to winning ways at Bath in July when beating Annes Rocket by five lengths off a mark of 56.

He veteran gets into this off just 4lb higher, having shaped as if right at the top of his game in his last two starts.