The 1000 Guineas on Sunday saw a most impressive victory for Minding who romped home for Aidan O'Brien, who thankfully for us had the 1-2-3. Alice Springs ran a grand race, holding on for 3rd by a neck, and she will be even more effective on proper fast ground. The winner looked in a different league though and she has a busy summer ahead of her.
The Chester May festival gets under way tomorrow and it is one of my favourite meetings of the year. I have always wanted to sample the atmosphere there and I am lucky enough to be heading over on Thursday. It should be good craic and to get a winner or two would be an added bonus. The feature race on Day 1 is the Chester Cup and 17 are due to go to post in this ultra competitive 18.5f handicap. The one I like sneaks in off a low weight at the foot of the handicap and his owner Marwan Koukash always targets this race.
Gabrial's King is one of 4 runners for Koukash and this 7yo son of Hurricane Run gets in off a nice low weight. This will be his 3rd try in this race, and a repeat of his effort last year should see him in the shake up. He was 4th that day on good to soft ground, 3L behind the winner Trip To Paris, racing off a mark of 91. He races off a mark of 92 tomorrow, just a pound higher, and he won here off 90 in a Listed handicap (13.5f good) back in August of last year.
He ran in the same 16f Ripon handicap on his reappearance this season as he did last year, and he ran a very nice race to be 3rd under George Chaloner. He keeps the ride tomorrow and he was on board for his Chester win last season. The ground will be drying out all the time tomorrow and the quicker it is the better it will be for this fella. All three of his turf wins have come on good ground or better and the weather forecast is good with no rain predicted to fall.
The big worry is the draw, and he will need a fair chunk of fortune from stall 17. However, he was drawn wide when winning his handicap here and he is versatile regarding tactics. George Chaloner will need the gaps to come at the right times, and if they do I think Gabrial's King is capable of a big run at 16/1, especially if the ground dries out.
STEVOS' SELECTION: 3.10 CHESTER-GABRIAL'S KING E/W 16/1
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