The ground was given as good to soft at Chester on Thursday
morning with no further rain forecast ahead of today’s nine-race card.
In the extended 7f nursery Tom Marquand takes over on Mark
Johnston’s Chase The Dollar (2.40) who bids to follow up his recent Ayr
success. This son of Frankel has been ridden by Joe Fanning in his first couple
of starts but the latter is required at Lingfield this evening which could be a
tip in itself.
The selection will get a mile and more in time, but he is
well drawn in stall two and is bred to be better than his opening mark of 78.
Revich (3.10) has a good record at the Roodeye and
both his career wins – including over today’s C&D – have been gained from
the front. Tom Marquand takes over in the saddle this afternoon on Richard
Spencer’s four-year-old who has a cracking draw in stall two. Spencer fits his
gelding with a first-time visor today and he will have to be sharper from the
boxes than he has so far this term. The hope is that the combination of
headgear, low draw and Marquand works the oracle.
In the 10f handicap I am loath to desert Highwaygrey even
though he was value for more than the winning margin at Pontefract last time.
He is a confirmed hold up performer, however, and a draw in stall 11 is a
concern. He will need luck in running to land his hat-trick.
Tonyx has won two of her three career starts but was too
keen to be seen at her best when finishing last of six on her reappearance at
Newmarket. The handicapper has dropped her a couple of pounds for that effort
and, if she is more amenable to restraint, she looks sure to run a big race.
The ew vote, however, goes to the 3-y-old Strait Of
Hormuz (4.40) who steps up beyond a mile for the first time this afternoon.
Jedd O’Keefe’s three-year-old was doing his best work late on over Ascot‘s
straight mile last time and he did break his maiden tag over 7f here last
season when trained by Andrew Balding.
The selection has a good draw in stall six and I hope jockey
Antonio Fresu can get his mount into a good position going into the first turn
just past the winning post. The only other member of the classic generation in
the field Berkshire Savvy is another to consider but his draw – 12 of 13 – is a
worry.
The 1m 6f handicap looks a better race than the one won by
Sefton Warrior at Yarmouth earlier in the month and he is overlooked carrying a
6lbs penalty. If there is one horse in the field who could be well ahead of his
mark it is surely Be Easy (5.40) who shaped like a decent prospect when
fourth at Haydock on debut before disappointing at Ascot in a race that may
have come too soon for Ed Walker’s filly.
The selection has been given over a month to get over that
Ascot test and she is related to several winners over staying trips including a
French Group 1 winner over a trip just short of two miles.
There is a cracking handicap at Pontefract over 2m 1f and the
3-y-old Revolver looks for his sixth successive win this term for Sir Mark
Prescott having risen in the handicap from 57 at the start of the year to 92
although he can race from a mark 1lb lower this afternoon.
The other three-year-old Frankenstella was a fluent winner
over C&D here a fortnight ago and a 7lbs rise is fair. If the race became
tactical – there is no guaranteed pace in the race – she would have every
chance of following up.
The vote, however, goes too Seinesational (3.20) who
pulled hard and faded close home at Goodwood last time in a race he had
finished runner up last time. He is 3lbs lower than when third over C&D on
his reappearance under Ben Curtis and has dropped to a decent mark.
The Gp 3 Irish St Leger trial is one of the feature races at
the Curragh and Search For A Song (2.30) steps back up to a more
appropriate trip having won the classic last season for Dermot Weld. The filly
ran a good race over 10f behind Magical last time and connections have a pacemaker
– Maria Christina – to ensure a true test.
Master Of Reality finished second past the post in the
Melbourne Cup last season – subsequently demoted to fourth – and looks the main
danger alongside Delph who is certainly quicker and less injury prone than his
namesake who is occasionally available for Everton.
At Lingfield Caledonian Crusade (4.55) was just
touched off at Newcastle last time and he can race from the same mark this
afternoon even though he is due to take a 3lbs hike in the weights. The selection
may need luck in running given he is held up out the back in his races and the
hope is that the “head waiter” Jamie Spencer delivers him fast and late.
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