Tag: Chester

Chester Thursday Preview

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The feature race on day 2 of the Chester May meeting is the Chester Vase, a recognised Derby trial. Nothing leaps out of the page as an Epsom candidate this year, although the most likely candidates are supplied as usual by Aidan O’Brien.

He saddles Carlo Bugatti and Orchestra here and it is interesting that Joseph is on board the former who will wear blinkers for the first time. You wouldn’t normally take that as a good sign, especially for a horse having only his third race. It is in response to his fourth place behind Fascinating Rock in the Ballysax Stakes at Navan last month.

I would much rather side with Ryan Moore’s mount, Orchestra. He is an imposing son of Galileo who won his maiden at Tipperary in August after chasing home Free Eagle on his debut. He is currently 40-1 for Epsom but O’Brien is not averse to running several in the classics so a good show here could bring him into contention.

The card kicks off at 1.45 with a competitive handicap featuring several familiar names. Those with good memories will recall that Yeager did us a good turn at Ascot last season before being ambitiously aimed at Arlington. He flopped there but was hampered during the race and made a pleasing return to form at Lingfield last month. He has a good draw and is worth a chance at around 5-1. Squire Osbaldeston and Makafeh are others to note for the coming weeks.

The Huxley Stakes sees a rematch between Noble Mission and Telescope from Sandown. The former had nine lengths to spare that day and is it realistic to expect a different outcome here? The Stoute team seem to think so but he looked beaten fair and square that day and I expect Noble Mission to confirm the form. The one most likely to spoil the party is Ektihaam who looked promising until slipping up at Royal Ascot last season.

The final televised race is the seven furlong handicap at 3.15 and Captain Bob looks the one to be on here. He ran some good races as a two-year-old without winning but starts the season on a good handicap mark as a result. He won without Dettori having to use his stick at Warwick, bowled along nicely at the head of affairs and should go well here.

Yeager 1.45 Chester at 6-1 BetVictor

Noble Mission 2.15 Chester at 11-4 Betfair

Orchestra 2.45 Chester at 4-1 Paddy Power

Captain Bob 3.15 Chester at 5-1 BetVictor

Chester Wednesday Preview

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Chester’s May meeting revives happy memories of my student days and regular visits to the Roodeye. The tight turns ensure that the action is fast and furious with the draw an ever-present consideration to unravelling the form.

The meeting starts with a tricky two-year-old race with the best horses on form typically drawn widest of all. That could hand the advantage to the David Evans pair who are both handily drawn in stalls 1 and 3. Perhaps foolishly, I am going to take all four of them on with the maiden Magical Memory. The grey is trained by Charlie Hills who will be keen to emulate his father, a great supporter of this meeting.

Magical Memory was favourite at Newbury for his debut and ran well for a long way before weakening. Stall 7 is not ideal but he should be able to sit close enough to land a blow in the home straight. Hills also has a chance in the Cheshire Oaks with Brown Diamond who caught the eye at Newbury when running on into third. She was also fourth to Taghrooda in one of the best maidens of last season.

This looks a fascinating contest with Psychometry and Bright Approach both having enormous potential. I like the Stoute filly but almost all of his horses have needed a run to put them straight this season.

Mubaraza is starting to prove expensive for his followers but it’s hard to knock him after solid efforts in the Ascot Stakes and Northumberland Plate. He looked sure to win first time out but was just pegged back by Angel Gabrial. I expect him to come out on top with a 3lbs pull and a good draw. It does not look a good quality field this year so maybe this is Mubaraza’s turn.

Lucky Beggar can continue the good work for Charlie Hills in the conditions race at 4.25 after making all to win at Newbury. He beat better horses there than he meets tomorrow, providing he does not get drawn into a mad early dash by Trinityelitedotcom.

I had a good hard look at Lovelocks in the last as well but have decided to pass her over in favour of Storm Force Ten. Lovelocks got no run at all last time out and can be rated a lot better than her finishing position suggests. The hood is fitted tomorrow but Storm Force Ten has the one stall and may be hard to pass.

Magical Memory 1.45 Chester at 11-2 Bet365

Brown Diamond 2.15 Chester at 15-2 Paddy Power

Mubaraza 2.45 Chester at 5-1 Bet365

Lucky Beggar 4.25 Chester at 5-2 Coral

Storm Force Ten 5.00 Chester at 7-1 Bet365

Chester and Sandown Preview 31st August

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Chester racecourse has fond memories for me having been my local track many moons ago! Saturday’s card has attracted some decent animals with the feature race being the Chester Stakes at 3.30.

I fancied Sun Central for the Ebor until he was left on top of the handicap and then the going and draw turned against him. Not surprisingly William Haggas pulled him out (oh, the joys of ante-post betting!). He has been diverted here where the going is currently reported to be just on the soft side of good. That has to be a worry with 9st 13lb to carry.

Montaser seems to have lost his way this season and is another with a marked preference for fast ground whilst Handsome Man has always been a rule unto himself. Star Lahib is a typical Mark Johnston beast that runs week-in, week-out and continues to surprise. I thought she was a fortunate winner of a slowly run Old Newton Cup but she has since bolted up in the Shergar Cup and run well in the Galtres Stakes at York.

John Gosden’s Tempest Fugit is returning after a lengthy absence and almost all of his horses need a race to put them straight. Savanna La Mar put up a career-best effort when fourth at Newbury last time but looked very one-paced whilst Alta Lilea suffers from a similar lack of toe. By process of elimination that leaves the hugely disappointing Guarantee who ran his best race for some time in the Ebor. He was hampered in his run but stayed on perfectly well to finish a closing seventh and he could be value at 9-1.

Es Que Love turns out yet again in the seven-furlong handicap and is almost certain to be up at the head of affairs early on from stall two. I can see him running a big race here but Alejandro could just have his measure in receipt of a stone. His Goodwood run behind Magic City looks pretty useful after that won came out of the clouds to follow up last weekend.

I’ve got a lot of time for Newbury and Newmarket two-year-old races as horses that run well three are almost always up to winning their maiden elsewhere. Charlie Hills runs My Painter here on Saturday after a fine debut at HQ when just run out of it in the closing stages by a useful couple of fillies in Night Song and Casual Smile.

Guarantee 9-1 Ladbrokes

Alejandro 8-1 Boylesports

My Painter Evens Betfair

Racing Preview Friday 30th August

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Although there isn’t much in the way of Group race action this weekend, there are still plenty of decent races taking place across the UK. Friday’s cards at Chester, Sandown and Salisbury are all worth a second look.

Last week I backed Nezar in the big sales race at York and he ran well enough to suggest that the nursery at Chester (4.05) is his for the taking. He was slowly away but made up ground steadily in the closing stages to be a never-nearer third at the line. Frankie Dettori takes over from Johnny Murtagh on Friday and even a draw in the outside stall shouldn’t prevent him from winning here.

Over at Sandown, William Buick teams up with John Gosden’s Breden in the 3.55. This horse had to be driven right out to win at Newmarket last time but holds some big entries including the Cambridgeshire. The handicapper has put him up only 4lbs for that victory and I’m hoping that there is more improvement to come. He delivered his challenge on the far side that day and very few horses won from there at the meeting.

Buick may not be in the best mood after the news that James Doyle will step into his shoes for the Prince Khaled Abdulla horses in future, starting on Saturday with 2000 Guineas favourite Kingman. With the likes of Remote and Excess Knowledge also now likely to be ridden by Doyle, Buick may feel that he has a point to prove in the coming weeks.

Salisbury provides the main evening entertainment with the feature race being the Listed Stonehenge Stakes. This looks booked for Washaar for Richard Hannon and Paul Hanagan. He may not be one of the stable starts but he was never going to be beaten at Ascot last time and I think he can see off his rivals here.

Hannon can strike again at his local track when Go For Broke runs in the maiden race at 5.45. I think you can best describe his first outing as “educational” after he was nursed into fourth place at Windsor. Roger Varian’s newcomer High Accolade is an unknown quantity but hopefully Go For Broke won’t live up his name!

Luca Cumani’s Don Padeja hacked up at Leicester last week and turns out quickly with a 6lb penalty. He won with any amount in hand and should be able to follow up in the 7.45.

Nezar 4-6 Bet365

Don Pedija 6-4 Bet365

Washaar 4-5 Ladbrokes

Go For Broke

Breden 7-2 Bet365

Chester Preview May 9th

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The opening day of the Chester May meeting started with the three worst drawn horses being withdrawn from the first race. The official reasons were a knocked joint, not eaten up and the going. Now, call me cynical but isn’t it time that Chester reviewed the maximum number of runners for their races over sprint distances? If trainers are viewing it as a complete waste of time running a horse with a high draw then it makes sense to reduce the maximum field to 12 and save everyone’s time and money.

The Chester Cup was run at an unusually pedestrian pace but there appeared to be no excuses for Countrywide Flame. He was well placed throughout and looked certain to be in the frame until the last fifty yards. I would imagine that he will now be given a well earned rest and prepared for another tilt at the Champion Hurdle 2014. The best performance of the day came from Banoffee in the Cheshire Oaks, cutting through the pack on the inside rail and winning cosily. Connections now face the prospect of stumping up the cash to enter her for the Epsom Oaks but that looks the most logical step, especially after a bunch finish to the 1000 Guineas last weekend.

Day 2 of Chester gives Richard Fahey a golden opportunity to add to his Cup gains when he saddles Gabrial for the Huxley Stakes. He looked as good as ever when sprinting clear to win the Doncaster Mile, although he clearly retains his inability to run in a straight line. Fallon is claimed to ride Danadana for Luca Cumani and that rival is respected but Jamie Spencer has won on Gabrial in the past and knows what to expect. If you can get any of the 3-1 about Gabrial that seems a fair price in a decent little race.

The Boodles Diamond Handicap features a return clash for Here Comes When and Ribaat, second and fourth in a decent race at Newbury last time. Both horses ran far too freely for their own good but I was impressed by the way Here Comes When quickened up going to the line and he can confirm the placings. The one stall may mean he sees plenty of daylight but I hope his jockey lets him run up front rather than dropping him in behind horses.

The Chester Vase looks unlikely to have a big impact on the ante-post market for the Epsom Derby but it will be interesting to see Ruler of the World lining up for Aidan O’Brien. Feel Like Dancing and Havana Beat should be good enough to give him a decent test but this looks like a race to watch rather than invest in.

Gabrial 3-1 Boylesports
Here Comes When 3-1 Bet Victor

Chester Cup Preview

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The 2000 Guineas victory of Sheikh Mohammed’s Dawn Approach has certainly raised some interesting questions and the colt is now 7-4 favourite for the Derby. The major concern for his supporters is whether he will stay the extra half-mile and the decision to go to Epsom has been taken more on his style of racing than his pedigree. I remember Jim Bolger saying he was going to be a Guineas horse after he won the Coventry last season but no thought had been given to his prospects of staying a mile and a half. About three weeks prior to the Guineas the decision was taken to supplement him for Epsom and that now looks to have been a wise move.

One another point worth making is that he beat a 150-1 outsider at Newmarket and it appears we may have another season with one good horse and a lot of moderate ones. Camelot was head and shoulders above his contemporaries last season but he was bred for the Derby. It will be fascinating to see what the breeding pundits come up with in the build up to the Derby but I don’t think that I will be taking 7-4. I will be happy to see what emerges from the trials in the hope of grabbing some decent each-way value against Dawn Approach.

It remains to be seen whether there is a Derby colt on show at Chester this week but the opening day revolves around the Chester Cup. I must confess to have become something of a fan of Countrywide Flame since he won the Triumph Hurdle a couple of years ago. He showed that was no fluke when he ran a fine race behind Grumeti at Aintree and I have since tipped him ante-post for the Cesarewitch (second at 10-1) and the Champion Hurdle (third at 33-1). The old expression about following them over cliffs springs to mind but I cannot help but fancy him tomorrow.

His weight looks just about perfect, he has a good draw, has won over the course and acts on any going. The only question mark is whether or not his run in the Champion Hurdle took the edge off him. He did run disappointingly at Aintree last time and he is almost certainly due a rest after his fine hurdles campaign. I cannot get too excited about the 7-2 on offer but there may be some 4’s or better on the day.

Ile De Roi and Simenon appear to have too much weight whereas Tominator was disappointing over hurdles. He is closely matched with Countrywide Flame on their meeting in the Cesarewitch and would be an appropriate winner in the week that saw the passing of his legendary former trainer Reg Hollinshead. However, he was beaten a distance in this race 12 months ago and is not guaranteed to reproduce his Newmarket form. One horse that is capable of showing improved form is Theology, now in the care of Steve Gollings.

Theology was useful on the flat for Jeremy Noseda but his form tailed off and he was eventually sent to Gollings to go hurdling. He didn’t take to the jumping game and was not knocked about at Kempton on his return to the flat. He may have been laid out for this race and could run a big race at a decent price.

Countrywide Flame 7-2 Ladbrokes
Theology (each-way) 18-1 Paddy Power