Race 1
This 5f sprint is chock full of early pace and I can see them going at it hammer and tongs from the outset. Over half of the field are fond of making the running and with so much pace in the race I think this could set up for a closer. Sir Maximilian may be drawn out wide in stall 8, but I think this two time course and distance winner is capable of sitting off the pace and swooping late.
 |
| This race could be run to suit Sir Maximilian. |
This fella is a 9yo now so he isn’t getting any younger but the handicapper has given him a big chance by dropping him to 97, 11lb lower than the mark he won a hot handicap off in Meydan two years ago. He ran a couple of crackers out there this season off 102, so clearly some ability remains. If the first time cheek pieces have a positive effect I think this race could be run to suit this strong traveller and at odds of 14/1 he represents good each way value in an open contest.
STEVOS’ SELECTION: SIR MAXIMILIAN E/W @ 14/1
Race 2
Only 7 horses go to post for the Dee Stakes and after seeing Young Rascal’s impressive win yesterday it is hard to oppose his previous conqueror My Lord And Master. Both horses are trained by William Haggas and on that occasion in a maiden at Nottingham My Lord And Master slammed Young Rascal by 6L, making all and never looking in danger.
My Lord And Master went down by a neck on his seasonal return at Epsom, just his third career start and he ought to strip a lot fitter with that outing under his belt. The two Aidan O’Brien horses are obviously feared but if My Lord And Master can reproduce the form of that Nottingham win I think he is the one to beat.
STEVOS’ SELECTION: MY LORD AND MASTER @ 11/4
Race 3
Another Batt interests me from an excellent draw in stall 2 in this 7.5f handicap. George Scott’s son of Windsor Knot has been an admirably consistent type so far on grass with his sole poor effort coming on his seasonal return on the all weather at Newcastle. However, he followed that up with a cracker of a run on his handicap debut off 101 at Newmarket (7f gd) and the assessor has dropped him a pound to 100.
 |
| Another Batt is a tough and consistent horse. |
He is already a listed winner over 6f and he has a string of fine efforts in that class to his name, including when beaten just a neck by Raydiance, a horse that is thought very highly of by connections. He is drawn to attack, he won’t mind a drop of rain and Silvestre De Sousa knows him well. At odds of 10/1 he looks sure to give each way backers a good run for their money.
STEVOS’ SELECTION: ANOTHER BATT E/W @ 10/1 NB
Race 4
The feature race on Day 2 of the Chester May Festival is the Group 3 Ormonde Stakes and with an official rating of 119 Idaho should be hard to beat. However, his recent form figures of 68458 hardly inspire confidence, even if those runs came at the highest level. His last win came in a Group 2 at Royal Ascot in June of last year and if he was to reproduce that level of form 11/10 will look a big price when this race is finished. With just 6 runners going to post I am going to swerve this race and just watch it. No bet.
Race 5
No bet in this 2yo maiden either, it is a race to watch with a view to the future.
Race 6
It isn’t very often that you see Aidan O’Brien running one in a handicap at Chester and I think Christopher Robin has outstanding claims upped in trip to 12f on decent ground off a mark of just 81. He was beaten by a couple of extremely smart horses on his first two starts, firstly when beaten just 3L by Nelson on his only start on decent ground on his debut at Leopardstown (8f gd).
He followed that up with another creditable effort on yielding ground when just over 5L behind Guineas hero and Derby favourite Saxon Warrior at the Curragh (8f yld) but his last two starts were on soft/heavy and the son of Camelot clearly needs decent ground to be seen at his best. I think a mark of 81 looks well within his compass once the heavens don’t open and at odds of 4/1 Christopher Robin looks the one to be on.
STEVOS’ SELECTION: CHRISTOPHER ROBIN E/W @ 4/1 NAP
Race 7
The final race on Day 2 of the Chester May Festival is a tricky looking 10f handicap and a case can be made for quite a few. The one I like for each way purposes is Tim Easterby’s 8yo son of Danehill Dancer, Dance King. This fella races off 88, 3lb above his last winning mark, but he is capable of being competitive off this rating and his record second time up after running poorly on his seasonal reappearance is quite good.
Last season he was beaten just a short head second time out at Ripon after running no sort of race there 3 weeks earlier and he has had a similar break after his poor effort at Thirsk. He has a decent looking draw in stall 6, stable jockey David Allan rides and if he gets a good pace to aim at and a bit of luck in running I think Dance Alone could go well at 16/1 for each way players.
STEVOS’ SELECTION: DANCE KING E/W @ 16/1
No comments:
Post a Comment