Top tipster Andrew Mount has four best bets at Chester and Chelmsford on Thursday. Find out his quartet of fancies below alongside 888sport‘s exclusive sign-up offer of Bet £10 and Claim £40 In Bet Bonuses.
Odds correct at time of publishing.
INVITE – 3.10 Chester (1pt win – 10/1 SkyBet, Hills)
INVITE finished last of seven in the Group 3 John Porter Stakes at Newbury on last month’s reappearance but raced freely in a slowly-run contest and should be seen to better effect today. When I discussed the John Porter for GG’s Weekend Watch video/podcast I mentioned that I didn’t like Andrew Balding’s filly for the Newbury race but that she was the most interesting one going forward. She was hugely impressive in the Listed tote+ Stand Cup Stakes here at Chester last September, coming from off the pace to pull clear for a comfortable two-length win. Her yard’s runners are profitable to back blind here and if John Egan can tuck her in and get cover from an admittedly tricky draw, she should be putting in good work at the business end.
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THUNDEROUS – 3.10 Chester (1pt win – 14/1 Bet365, Hills)
My John Porter pick THUNDEROUS ran poorly, fading into sixth after making the running on his first start since the previous June. With the benefit of hindsight, that run – his first since gelding – was probably needed and, as the pace angle in today’s race, he’s also worth an interest.
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IRISH TIMES – 5.00 Chelmsford (1pt win – 5/1 generally)
This 6f amateur riders’ handicap could become something of a burn-up, as there’s plenty of early pace among the eight runners. Millicent (‘prominent, led after 1f’ on her latest start) is likely to put pace to the race in a first-time visor from stall 1, So Grateful (‘disputed lead against far rail’ last time) is drawn next door and is also wearing a visor of the first time, Devious Beau (stall 3) made the running on his penultimate start, Moveonup (stall 7) usually leads, while the hard-to-win-with Kath’s Toyboy (‘prominent, ridden to lead 2f out’) is unlikely to be far away in the early stages from stall 6. Chelmsford usually favours front-runners but we’ve yet to have an all-the-way winner in an amateur riders’ contest at this venue. By process of elimination, we’re left with IRISH TIMES, Swiss Rowe and Sparkling Diamond. The former was just pipped over 7f here last time and all of his five career wins came at this venue. Four of those were over longer trips but he scored off a 2lb higher mark over trip and track last summer and sat closer to the early pace than ideal last time. He was the only prominent racer to finish in the first five and the others who raced near the front end all ran well next time out. The only sensible option is to tuck him in from stall 8 before switching wide for a late run. Sparkling Diamond isn’t a win machine (one win from 40) but she’s 50-1 and could stay on late into the frame. I’ve had a saver.
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PERFECT FOCUS – 6.00 Chelmsford (1pt win – 7/2 Bet365, 10/3 Hills, 5/2 generally)
PERFECT FOCUS was a big eyecatcher when sixth at Wolverhampton on his debut for Henry Spiller 17 days ago, attracting the attention of the stewards. His yard is six from 14 with second-time stable switchers on the all-weather who started at 9-1 or shorter and backing them blind would have returned a profit of £10.35. I thought we could be looking at odds of 2-1 or 5-2 but he’s forecast at 6-1 and William Hill, the first firm to price up, opened at 4-1.
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Today’s Best Bets
INVITE – 3.10 Chester (1pt win – 10/1 SkyBet, Hills)
THUNDEROUS – 3.10 Chester (1pt win – 14/1 Bet365, Hills)
IRISH TIMES – 5.00 Chelmsford (1pt win – 5/1 generally)
PERFECT FOCUS – 6.00 Chelmsford (1pt win – 7/2Bet365, 10/3 Hills, 5/2 generally)
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