The Wolf has the talent to win the veterans' chase easily, but can he be trusted?

Historic in-running prices can tell you plenty about a horse’s will to win and the data attached to The Wolf’s profile makes for grim reading. 

The Wolf, undoubtedly the most talented runner in this veterans’ handicap chase as top weight and a favourable mark imply, has been beaten at in-running prices of even-money or shorter on eight occasions.

He often doesn’t put everything in and can be a sketchy jumper, but has the ability to win this easily if Olly Murphy has him on a going day.

Banking on that happening on his return from 161 days away seems brave, although one of his standout performances over the past few seasons came following a similar absence in a superior race at Cheltenham.

The Wolf surrenders race fitness to a couple with solid claims. Twelve-year-old Innisfree Lad was found out against younger legs at Chepstow last month and this is a more suitable assignment.

Innisfree Lad has struck twice at this track and is 7lb lower than when sent off favourite for the previous running. He could manage only fifth that day, but evidently couldn’t breathe properly as he won nicely only a month later following wind surgery.

We should also respect the chance of Special Acceptance, who filled the runner-up position in the 2023 edition and has presumably been aimed at it again.

Special Acceptance’s seasonal return and first start for Billy Aprahamian at Uttoxeter last month resulted in an excellent second behind well-treated novice Vision De Maine off this mark. There was an 18-length gap back to the third, and Special Acceptance won’t have any unexposed five-year-olds to worry about here.
Analysis by Robbie Wilders

Ground update

The ground is good and a cloudy day with sunny intervals is forecast. Raceday clerk of the course Paul Barker said on Monday: "We're good ground after watering during the week and doing a bit of selective watering this morning."

What they say

Olly Murphy, trainer of The Wolf
He could go round there on the bridle if he wanted to, but he's turned into a monkey. It will be his last chance over fences now, running in a veterans' chase. He's handicapped to win but he's a bit of an enigma.

Alex Hales, trainer of Breaking Waves
He hasn't run over fences for a few years, but he's been schooling well at home. I thought it would open up an option for him. He was a bit disappointing on his last couple of runs, but we've tweaked a couple things and he seems in really good nick.

David Dennis, trainer of Innisfree Lad
He seems in very good form at home. For a 12-year-old, he seems to have got plenty of enthusiasm. I'm going to put a visor back on him to help him concentrate and he's run very well at the course before. Theo Gillard gets on very well with him and we'd be hopeful he'd run very well on ground we know he likes.

Georgie Howell, trainer of Ballywood
I suspect he'll be the outsider of the field but he ran pretty well at Chepstow last time on his first try over a trip and were it not for a slow jump at the top of the hill, he would have been an awful lot closer. He's in good form and we're trying cheekpieces for the first time.
Reporting by Andrew Dietz

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