Wolverhampton best bet: Follow Your Heart can confirm progress over preferred trip

14:15 Wolverhampton: Win 2,000,000 with BetMGM’s Golden Goals Handicap (7 furlongs) 

The early favourite, Al Farabi, boasts figures of 3122 from his last four outings, but he was found wanting on his handicap debut three weeks ago, which suggests extra value in the re-opposing pair, Follow Your Heart and Johnny James, who clashed over this course and distance last month.

That was in a 0-86 handicap and the pair finished first and second, pulling 1.5 lengths clear of seven rivals, with Follow Your Heart winning by a length, even though Johnny James was sent off as a clear favourite and had a better draw.

Tracking the pace into the home straight, Follow Your Heart picked up nicely to hit the front inside the final furlong, despite making his challenge down the often unfavoured far rail.

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Johnny James had every chance but had no answer to Follow Your Heart, who looks a good bet to confirm those placings on five pounds worse terms.

Since then, Follow Your Heart has progressed further in each of his two subsequent runs, firstly finishing second of eight in a much higher-graded Class 2 handicap (0-105) over this very trip, and and most recently, he ran equally well to finish fourth of 13 in another Class 2 over seven furlongs behind the highly-rated race favourite, Doctor Khan Junior, who was completing a hat-trick.

He should relish dropping back into a lesser 0-87 contest here off an unchanged mark, and with three wins and a close second from his last four runs over this course and distance, Follow Your Heart has a good chance from a handy middle draw.

Suggested bet: Follow Your Heart in the 14:15 at Wolverhampton

• Tip advised by Steve Jones who runs CD Systems Daily Bargain on Tipstrr

Of the others, Johnny James hasn’t been out since finishing behind Follow Your Heart in last month’s race mentioned above, but he is a lightly-raced 4yo with just six runs to date and, prior to his second place here last time, he had finished  second of 10 in a higher-graded Class 3 handicap, also over this course and distance.

He looks sure to go well again from the inside draw and he has plenty of scope for further progress in this sphere for top all-weather trainer Mick Appleby.

Next Best bet: Johnny James in the 14:15 at Wolverhampton

 

READ MORE: Wolverhampton racing tips: Best bets for Friday January 19