Racing Chat - Wednesday 8th May

[The Brigadier]

1.30 Chester

The first of five races from Chester covered by the ITV cameras is this 6F class 3 three year old handicap in which as we all well know it pays to be draw low on this turning track. The last seven winners have been drawn 1,2,6,4,5 1, 5 and it’s easy to dismiss those drawn 7 or upwards on that account only. Tom Dascombe’s Old Chums is interesting from stall 2 as he arrives fit from a decent all-weather winter campaign but it’s the horse in the plum draw of 1, Beyond Borders that stands out as a good each way bet here. Karl Burke’s sprinter won four of his seven starts as a juvenile and although his recent run may have looked a tad disappointing at the time when you delve deeper into the form we can see it was a fair effort. He finished 6 1/2L runner up to Clive Cox’s improver Jame’s Delight who has gone on to win a class 2 handicap at Newmarket via a tilt at the Greenham Stakes. He’s now rated 9lb higher although that will increase when his latest success is taken into account. The third Bellarchi has won and placed 2nd since and is now 5lb higher whilst the fifth has also won since and is now 5lb higher. The selection has been dropped a pound for that run which came on heavy ground and he looks likely to be better served by better ground here and can run a blinder from the plum draw.

 

BEYOND BORDERS 1 point each way @ 10/1 William Hill 1/5th 1234

BEYOND BORDERS & DUE FOR LUCK (2.35) 1/4 point each way double 10/1 & 17/2 William Hill 1/5th 1234 both races.

 

Chester 2.05

Eleven juvenile fillies line up for the 5F Lily Agnes Conditions Stakes. George Boughey’s Night In Paris can run well but drawn nine of 9 is not a positive and a close eye must be kept on the two newcomers from local trainer Hugo Palmer in Arabian Cobar and Herecomesthebear who cost 60,000 guineas and 65,000 guineas respectively. In a tricky contest the pick however is Tom Dascombe’s Seraphim Angel who showed promise on her racecourse debut when fourth in a Newmarket fillies maiden at the Craven meeting. That form is yet to really be tested although the seventh (2L behind the selection) has finished runner up at Kempton since. Stall 6 should be ok and she can run well under Pierre-Louis Jamin.

 

SERAPHIM ANGEL 1 point each way @ 7/1 bet365 1/5th 123

 

Chester 2.35

Like the opener this is a tricky three year old handicap run over 5F which has attracted a maximum field of twelve. One that doesn’t appeal is the Tim Easterby trained Vince L’Amour who comes here chasing a hat trick but both those victories were gained in very soft ground and in lesser grade handicaps. Ed Bethell’s Kings Merchant is on the short list having bagged stall 1 and coming here in good form off of the all-weather winning his maiden at Wolverhampton in March from a dual winner since. This is his handicap debut and he can go well but the one I like is drawn alongside in stall 2 in John & Sean Quinn’s Due For Luck. He’s not been seen since October although was pulled out of a race at Thirsk 18 days ago due to soft ground but he did win first time out as a two year old by 2 1/2L. He should of won over course and distance last September when failing to get a run in going down by a head to Bazball. The Quinn’s were on the mark with the winner of the Thirsk Hunt Cup at the weekend and he appeals here each way from a tasty draw.

 

DUE FOR LUCK 1 point each way @ 17/2 William Hill 1/5th 1234

 

Chester 3.05

A field of nine line up for the listed Weatherbys E-Passport Cheshire Oaks, a trial for the Epsom Oaks. Aidan O’Brien has won five of the last eight renewals and saddles a brace here in Rubies Are Red and Port Fairy with Ryan Moore presumably picking the latter. She won a Dundalk maiden last time out and is hard to assess but is given plenty of respect. Ralph Beckett has yet to rally get going this season but did have an across the card double on Saturday so maybe he’s ready to spring into action now. He also saddles a brace of runners here in the shape of Seaward and Forest Fairy with the latter the one that appeals the most. She ran out an impressive 6L winner at Wolverhampton back in February against the colts (which included a pair of very well bred expensive Godolphin colts) and with an Epsom Oaks and Ribblesdale entry could be anything. Rossa Ryan was on board that night in February and she’s the bet.

 

FOREST FAIRY 1 point win @ 11/4 BetVictor

 

Chester 3.40

The 1M 4 1/2F Group 3 Boodles Chester Vase has attracted a small field of just six but is an intriguing contest nonetheless. Aidan O’Brien has farmed this race over the last decade winning it seven times and is represented by the top rated Grosvenor Square and Agenda. The former looks the pick as he is ridden by Ryan Moore and he looks sure to go close although he has to prove himself on good ground as all three of his career starts have come on soft ground. Andrew Balding’s Cadogan Place beat the Charlie Appleby trained Hidden Law at Southwell 41 days ago by a short head with Hidden Law going on and impressively taking a novices stakes contest at Newbury. Preference would be for the Godolphin runner and at the prices is the selection here to turn the tables on Cadogan Place and upset the favourite Grosvenor Square.

 

HIDDEN LAW 1 point win @ 3/1 bet365

[richard-westwood]

1 hour ago, The Brigadier said:

1.30 Chester

The first of five races from Chester covered by the ITV cameras is this 6F class 3 three year old handicap in which as we all well know it pays to be draw low on this turning track. The last seven winners have been drawn 1,2,6,4,5 1, 5 and it’s easy to dismiss those drawn 7 or upwards on that account only. Tom Dascombe’s Old Chums is interesting from stall 2 as he arrives fit from a decent all-weather winter campaign but it’s the horse in the plum draw of 1, Beyond Borders that stands out as a good each way bet here. Karl Burke’s sprinter won four of his seven starts as a juvenile and although his recent run may have looked a tad disappointing at the time when you delve deeper into the form we can see it was a fair effort. He finished 6 1/2L runner up to Clive Cox’s improver Jame’s Delight who has gone on to win a class 2 handicap at Newmarket via a tilt at the Greenham Stakes. He’s now rated 9lb higher although that will increase when his latest success is taken into account. The third Bellarchi has won and placed 2nd since and is now 5lb higher whilst the fifth has also won since and is now 5lb higher. The selection has been dropped a pound for that run which came on heavy ground and he looks likely to be better served by better ground here and can run a blinder from the plum draw.

 

BEYOND BORDERS 1 point each way @ 10/1 William Hill 1/5th 1234

BEYOND BORDERS & DUE FOR LUCK (2.35) 1/4 point each way double 10/1 & 17/2 William Hill 1/5th 1234 both races.

 

Chester 2.05

Eleven juvenile fillies line up for the 5F Lily Agnes Conditions Stakes. George Boughey’s Night In Paris can run well but drawn nine of 9 is not a positive and a close eye must be kept on the two newcomers from local trainer Hugo Palmer in Arabian Cobar and Herecomesthebear who cost 60,000 guineas and 65,000 guineas respectively. In a tricky contest the pick however is Tom Dascombe’s Seraphim Angel who showed promise on her racecourse debut when fourth in a Newmarket fillies maiden at the Craven meeting. That form is yet to really be tested although the seventh (2L behind the selection) has finished runner up at Kempton since. Stall 6 should be ok and she can run well under Pierre-Louis Jamin.

 

SERAPHIM ANGEL 1 point each way @ 7/1 bet365 1/5th 123

 

Chester 2.35

Like the opener this is a tricky three year old handicap run over 5F which has attracted a maximum field of twelve. One that doesn’t appeal is the Tim Easterby trained Vince L’Amour who comes here chasing a hat trick but both those victories were gained in very soft ground and in lesser grade handicaps. Ed Bethell’s Kings Merchant is on the short list having bagged stall 1 and coming here in good form off of the all-weather winning his maiden at Wolverhampton in March from a dual winner since. This is his handicap debut and he can go well but the one I like is drawn alongside in stall 2 in John & Sean Quinn’s Due For Luck. He’s not been seen since October although was pulled out of a race at Thirsk 18 days ago due to soft ground but he did win first time out as a two year old by 2 1/2L. He should of won over course and distance last September when failing to get a run in going down by a head to Bazball. The Quinn’s were on the mark with the winner of the Thirsk Hunt Cup at the weekend and he appeals here each way from a tasty draw.

 

DUE FOR LUCK 1 point each way @ 17/2 William Hill 1/5th 1234

 

Chester 3.05

A field of nine line up for the listed Weatherbys E-Passport Cheshire Oaks, a trial for the Epsom Oaks. Aidan O’Brien has won five of the last eight renewals and saddles a brace here in Rubies Are Red and Port Fairy with Ryan Moore presumably picking the latter. She won a Dundalk maiden last time out and is hard to assess but is given plenty of respect. Ralph Beckett has yet to rally get going this season but did have an across the card double on Saturday so maybe he’s ready to spring into action now. He also saddles a brace of runners here in the shape of Seaward and Forest Fairy with the latter the one that appeals the most. She ran out an impressive 6L winner at Wolverhampton back in February against the colts (which included a pair of very well bred expensive Godolphin colts) and with an Epsom Oaks and Ribblesdale entry could be anything. Rossa Ryan was on board that night in February and she’s the bet.

 

FOREST FAIRY 1 point win @ 11/4 BetVictor

 

Chester 3.40

The 1M 4 1/2F Group 3 Boodles Chester Vase has attracted a small field of just six but is an intriguing contest nonetheless. Aidan O’Brien has farmed this race over the last decade winning it seven times and is represented by the top rated Grosvenor Square and Agenda. The former looks the pick as he is ridden by Ryan Moore and he looks sure to go close although he has to prove himself on good ground as all three of his career starts have come on soft ground. Andrew Balding’s Cadogan Place beat the Charlie Appleby trained Hidden Law at Southwell 41 days ago by a short head with Hidden Law going on and impressively taking a novices stakes contest at Newbury. Preference would be for the Godolphin runner and at the prices is the selection here to turn the tables on Cadogan Place and upset the favourite Grosvenor Square.

 

HIDDEN LAW 1 point win @ 3/1 bet365

I just finished rating that 230 race and computer said .....DUE FOR LUCK was the value bet Ew so that's good enough for me ......5pt Ew 17/2 4 places .....good luck 🤞