This is not a race crying out for a wild swing. In a modest Class 6 for three-year-olds, Crimson Rambler is the one with the strongest case and he deserves to head the market.
He comes here on the back of a tidy win at Southwell just five days ago, where the step up to a mile clearly helped. That was no fluke either. He had already posted three runner-up efforts in handicaps, so the recent victory looked more like a horse finding the right set-up than one getting lucky. In this sort of race, solid recent form counts for plenty, and he is the only runner in the field arriving with that profile.
The HRB figures back him up. He is clear top on the numbers and that is a big positive in a race where most of these are either badly exposed or still trying to prove they are well treated. Timeform are also firmly in his corner, and it is easy to see why. He has the best recent form, he has already shown he can handle all-weather handicaps, and he comes into this with more going for him than anything else in the line-up.
There is, of course, a small catch. He has to turn out quickly under a penalty, and that is never ideal, especially for a relatively inexperienced three-year-old. But this is not a deep race. If he runs anywhere near the level of his Southwell win, the others may simply not be good enough to make him pay.
The most interesting threat is City Of Dreams. He has shown little so far, but he has only had three runs, all in novice company over sprint trips, and now goes handicapping over much further. That makes him the danger rather than the solid option. He could improve plenty for this test, but at the same time he is being backed on promise rather than proof.
Time To Sparkle also has a fair case. She shaped quite well when fourth on her handicap debut at Kempton after a break, and this race may set up decently for her if she can sit handier in what looks a weakly run contest. She looks the sort to be involved, but she still has to show she can go and win one.
Nicolai is another who could step forward now handicapping in a first-time visor. There was a bit more promise in his latest run than the bare result suggests, but he still needs to find improvement and looks more place material than the likely winner.
The rest are harder to warm to. Several are making their handicap debuts, but they have shown too little to trust, while a few of the exposed runners look vulnerable even in a race of this standard. You can make small cases for one or two at prices, though most rely on guesswork rather than evidence.
So the race comes back to the obvious one. Crimson Rambler has the recent win, the best body of handicap form, and the strongest ratings case. In a weak Wolverhampton handicap, that is usually the place to start and finish.
Verdict
Crimson Rambler is the percentage call and the one to beat.
City Of Dreams is the danger if the step up in trip brings him forward sharply.
Time To Sparkle looks the best each-way alternative.
Selection
Crimson Rambler