Chester’s May meeting is one of the most enjoyable festivals in northern racing. With clues aplenty for big races later in the season, Joe Napier has four tips for you to follow at the track on Wednesday.
2.05 Chester – CAA Stellar Lily Agnes EBF Conditions Stakes
Any draw above stall five has been a death knell for chances in the Lily Agnes, with the last winner to emerge from a wider berth coming a decade ago. That immediately narrows down those of interest, though three of those five have question marks surrounding the depth of their form, so the last left are DAISY INTHE BREEZE and SIR GEOFF MORGAN, who were first and second at Brighton last week.
That form is yet to be seriously tested, though the third was filling that position for the third run in succession, and hails from a yard that have been doing well with their juveniles. That suggests this pair did well to overcome that more experienced rival on their mutual debut, so it could be worth a small wager on both. While the filly could well confirm the form, the runner-up was green, significantly more fancied that day, and his trainer has a winner and three runner-ups in this contest since 2013.
2.35 Chester – tote.co.uk Saddle-Up For More Than Racing Handicap
It is one of those unusual nuances of Chester that despite being a constantly turning track, stall 1 can be an inconvenience, especially over short trips for horses slowly away. Every winner of this sprint handicap since 2016 has been drawn between 2 and 6, which means the two current favourites drawn in 1 and 7 may be worth opposing for being narrowly on the fringes.
Things may now pan out well for DUE FOR LUCK, who is indeed just that given an unfortunate runner-up finish the last time he visited this venue. He was second off this mark when not getting a clear run, and would have been making it a hat-trick of victories from his first three starts had he got up. Two disappointments since can be excused on the basis of soft ground and a potential dislike for the all-weather at Newcastle.
There should be few issues with him having trained on, and he proved when winning on his debut last season that he should be raring to go fresh. He rates a confident each-way bet.
3.05 Chester – Weatherbys E-Passport Cheshire Oaks
Aidan O’Brien has an unsurprisingly good record in this race, winning five of the last nine renewals. His last three have all been claimed by daughters of Galileo though, and while Rubies Are Red fits that bill for him this year, she appears the second choice behind stablemate Port Fairy on jockey bookings. However, another O’Brien, Aidan’s son Joseph, sends a Galileo filly here in the shape of GALILEO DAME, named rather on the nose. She had Rubies Are Red 3½ lengths behind when winning a Leopardstown maiden over 1m2f in April, and while both of her starts have so far come on heavy, the evidence of her dam and half-sister suggests she will cope with a sounder surface. She looks capable of kicking on and winning this before aiming her aspirations high.
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