The handicaps at Wolverhampton on Monday aren’t of the highest quality, but there are still winners to be found such in the 0-70 fillies’ contest over the extended 1m1f (6.30) in which IMOLA is taken to come out on top. Joey Ramsden’s mare doesn’t have the greatest strike-rate (2-26), but she has been a model of consistency including when doubling her winning tally over this course and distance in February. Now 3lb higher, she has been off 104 days since then, but is proven fresh and the form was boosted when the second and third horses both won on their next outings.

The opening 0-60 handicap over 7f at 6.30 can go to LESSAY. Patrick Morris’s gelding is another who doesn’t get his head in front very often (3-43), but his last win came over this course and distance in December from a 7lb higher mark than today’s. Following a string of lesser efforts, he bounced right back to form when beaten just half a length back here early last month and a repeat of that performance may be enough for him to go one better.

INITIAL BLUE can take the concluding 0-70 handicap over 6f at 9.00. A dual winner at Kempton this year, the Newland/Insole gelding has made the frame in all four previous runs over course and distance, the latest when a close third of ten behind the prolific Beauzon in March. He appreciated the return to the AW when beaten a neck at Southwell last time and a repeat of that performance may be enough for him to go one better.

The best over at Lingfield’s mixed turf/Polytrack fixture looks to be CHARLES DARNAY in the 0-80 handicap for 3yos over 1m4f at 3.17. James Owen’s gelding improved in each of his three starts on the AW at the start of the year, culminating in winning a Kempton maiden over this trip in March, He now makes his handicap debut after three months off, but the form of that race has been franked by the subsequent wins of the second, third and fourth and it would be a surprise if there wasn’t further improvement in him. David Bellingham