Wolverhampton preview: Sweet on the chances of Dancer

Sweet Dancer can take advantage of what looks a lenient mark to land 1m 1f handicap on today’s card at Wolverhampton (17.40), and further enhance trainer David Lanigan’s excellent strike rate at the venue.

The Newmarket handler has been successful with just under 32 per cent of his raiders at the West Midlands track in the past 12 months, saddling five winners and seven placed from 22 runners.

In Sweet Dancer he has an unexposed colt who has hinted at ability in three starts without being knocked about and looks a potential improver now stepped up in trip on handicap debut.

The three-year-old particularly caught the eye last time out in a 1m maiden at Lingfield when seventh of 12 to Muntadeb and shaping much better than the final finishing position suggests.

After being slowly away, Sweet Dancer quickly found himself trailing the field but then stayed on really nicely under tender handling to be beaten 9 3/4 lengths.

It was an effort which suggested the son of Danehill Dancer was being lined up for handicaps, and if that proves to be the case then an opening mark of 67 may underestimate Sweet Dancer’s ability.

Idol Deputy ran a cracker runner-up last time out, and can cash-in on a fall in the weights to go one better to land an overdue success in the 1m handicap (15.55).

The James Bennett trained nine-year-old is a four time course and distance winner, and the last of those successes came off a mark of 73.

Although now on a long loisng run of 18, the gelding has run well to be placed on several occasions and, having been rated as high as 83, is now running off just 63.

That is 10lb lower than when last successful and gives Idol Deputy a massive chance at the weights.