Wolverhampton Preview: Ze King ready to rule

Ze King ran a stormer when runner-up last time out and can go one better to open his account in the Download The Coral App Handicap at Wolverhampton today (4.25).

The Chris Wall trained gelding went down by diminishing length to Upper Street in a 14-runner contest at Lingfield and looked an unlucky loser.

The son of Manduro travelled well in midfield, but got short of room when the tempo quickened and conceded first run to the winner.

When jockey Ted Durcan did manage to angle Ze King for a run, the five-year-old picked up in fine style to surge between horses and close all the way to the line.

Although now 2lb higher in the weights, the form of that race looks strong in the context of this contest and Ze King should be more than capable of winning races off his current mark of 67.

Other pluses are that all Ze King’s best runs have come on synthetic surfaces, and his trainer boasts a healthy strike rate of 33% with his runners at the venue in the past 12 months.

In the opening 6f handicap (1.45), Invigilator is a fascinating contender now reunited with jockey Dale Swift and can go well at a big price.

The Derek Shaw trained gelding is a four-time winner at the track on the old polytrack surface, and was last successful under Swift when coming with swooping late run to score at Kempton off a mark of 62.
Ths six-year-old got put up to 66 for that success, and has failed to trouble the judge in six subsequent starts.

However, that has resulted the the assessor cutting him some slack and Invigilator is now back down to his last winning mark.

That gives the son of Motivator major claims from a handicapping perspective, and it looks significant that Swift is now back in the saddle for the first time since steering him to victory at Kempton.

Enzaal is another that has become incredibly well-treated and looks the answer to the 1m 4f handicap that closes the card (5.25).

The gelding was last successful in a class 4 contest at Chester off a mark of 76 wheh trained by Mark Johnston, and is now able to race in this lower class 6 contest off 22lb lower.