CLIVE Brittain’s old stager Kandidate can waltz away with the feature prize at Wolverhampton on Thursday night, the Dine In The Horizons Restaurant Winter Open Stakes.

It is a shame for Dunstall Park, who came in for some criticism over the late abandonment of Monday’s meeting, that they have drawn only five runners for a Listed race worth £40,000.

However, that should technically make it easier to pick the winner.

The stand-out choice on form is without doubt Gerard Butler’s Dansant, a real Polytrack specialist while you can also make a case for Tom Tate’s Suits Me.

However, Kandidate is a horse with some serious form in the book and while he was tailed off on his last start, he is not the most consistent performer and should never be written off.

When he is on his game he is still capable of figuring in races such as this, as admirably demonstrated when he won the Magnolia Stakes last March.

He also ran with credit at the last Dubai Carnival and there was plenty of money for him on his last start, so he had obviously been showing something at home.

Kandidate was a winner on his only career start at Wolverhampton some four years ago and if he puts his best foot forward here, he can maintain a 100% record.

Selections

CLONMEL: 1.35 Knockbrack Vic, 2.05 Financial Reward, 2.35 Caim Hill, 3.05 Erritt Lake, 3.35 Osborn, 4.05 Cupids Flyer, 4.35 Corkonian.

HUNTINGDON: 1.40 Hello Moscow, 2.10 Gus, 2.40 Seize, 3.10 Cosmea, 3.40 Synchronised, 4.10 Buckby Lane, 4.40 Princess Yasmin.

SOUTHWELL: 1.00 Poppy Dean, 1.30 Whiskey Creek, 2.00 Don Pele, 2.30 Saloon, 3.00 Kinigi, 3.30 Caprio, 4.00 Actuality, 4.30 Edas.

TAUNTON: 1.50 King Caine, 2.20 Gentle Ranger, 2.50 Aboukir Bay, 3.20 Cricket Boy, 3.50 Adare Prince, 4.20 Markila, 4.50 Cilla Black.

WOLVERHAMPTON: 6.50 Back In The Red, 7.20 Naheell, 7.50 John Potts, 8.20 KANDIDATE (NAP), 8.50 The Cuckoo, 9.20 Babel.

Double: Kandidate and Whiskey Creek.

Tweet