Step Up In Trip To Suit Tatawu At Wolves

Imperial Prince ran a cracking race on Wednesday, just failing for 2nd and coming home in 3rd at 18/1. Hopefully some of you took the 33s available with many firms on the day of the race. I was worried on the day after the ground turned soft, but he evidently handled it well. However, I think he will be even better on a sounder surface and with a further step up in trip he will definitely be winning races. Unfortunately he won't be such a fancy price next time!

I have gone through the two national hunt meetings tomorrow with a fine tooth comb and have failed to find a single horse to put up. One that was in the shake up was Run Hurricane in the seller at Fakenham at 2.00. He is an ex Tom Mullins inmate who is of big interest on one piece of form back in Ireland. However, with only 7 runners in the field there is only 2 places available for e/w money and I have decided to go with a Peter Hiatt horse later on in the lucky last at Wolves instead.

Tatawu started off his racing career in the care of Brian Meehan, and he managed a 2nd in a maiden back in October of 2014 at Lingfield (8f) beaten just over 3L and keeping on quite well, It was a good effort for just his 2nd start and Covert Love (now rated 116) was over 3L behind in 5th. He was put through the sales ring and was picked up by current connections for 4.5k, and after over a year off he made his return in an 8.5f maiden at Wolves when he trailed in a well beaten 4th.

He made his handicap debut off a mark of 70 here over 8.5f again a fortnight ago and he stepped up massively on his previous run. He came home 3rd of 3 but was beaten by just 4L and he almost got back up for 2nd after getting outpaced when they turned for home. It was a promising enough effort and he shaped as though a step up in trip would definitely suit, which he gets that at Wolves tomorrow (12f).

There is further encouragement to be found in his pedigree regarding the step up in trip and as an ex Shadwell horse he is not badly bred, as you might expect. His sire Mawatheeq isn't a superstar sire, but he has a 50% strike rate with his progeny over 12f.  Tatawu's  half sister won on the all weather at 9.5f over in France, and his dam also won over 10f at Lingfield on an artificial surface. She is a half sister to Doncaster Cup (18f Group 2) winner Honolulu so stamina should not be an issue.

Luke Morris has been booked by Peter Hiatt, and he has 9 wins and 13 places from 89 rides for the Oxon based handler. Tatawu has been claimer ridden on his first two runs for Mr. Hiatt, so the booking of a top professional has to go down as a positive. His last run suggested that a step up in trip was needed, he showed he handled the track, and with a top jock booked he looks well worthy of an each way bet at the generous looking odds of 16/1.

STEVOS' SELECTION: 7.50 WOLVES-TATAWU E/W 16/1