AW Polytrack: left-handed; sharp, oval track of 1m in circumference; separate chutes for 6f and 7 races.
Background Info:
Previously a Fibresand track, Britain's first floodlit course switched to Polytrack in autumn 2004 and received universal approval from trainers and jockeys alike for the fairness and consistency of its surface. However, after heavy use last winter, the surface came in for criticism after an abandonment due to sub-zero temperatures and has since been re-waxed. The overall standard of the racing is probably lower than at the other Polytracks.
Track Bias:
There is a general belief that horses can't win against the inside rail, which is simply not true and, although the bias tends to shift from meeting to meeting, it's possible to win from anywhere on this track. However, due to the sharpness of the circuit, the stronger-travelling sorts with the ability to quicken have an advantage over the longer-striding, staying types. As at Great Leighs and Kempton, front-runners and prominent racers have a fantastic record over 5 and 6f, although too much pace up front can play into the hands of the hold-up horses.
Draw Bias:
This is dependant on the distance of the race. Over 5f, there hasn't been much in the draw during 2008, but over 6f middle to high numbers have come out best, with stall one, somewhat surprisingly, being statistically the worst over that distance. Over 7f and 1m, boxes 9-13 have fared worst, while stalls 4-9 have thrown up the biggest percentage of winners over the extended 1m1f.
Key Players:
Jockeyship and tactics play a big part in determining results here, and they don't come much sharper than Tony Culhane, who is definitely worth keeping a close eye on this winter. In the training-ranks, Mark Johnston does well with his raiders, boasting a healthy 22% strike rate over the past five years. Other trainers worth noting are Sean Curran (£30 level-stakes profit) and David Barron (£24 level-stakes profit).
Inside Info:
Check out Mark Johnston's website for his latest stats and entries: http://www.markjohnstonracing.com/
Make It Pay:
Up-and-coming dual purpose trainer Tim Vaughan struck with his first ever winner at Wolverhampton recently, when Prairie Hawk landed an old-fashioned gamble down to 7/4 having been as big as 28 on the exchanges. That will have given him an incentive to come back, so keep a close eye on his runners, especially when the money's down.
Click here to bet on all-weather racing.