The third week of the Racing League takes place at Chepstow on Thursday. Matty Sutcliffe has previewed another competitive evening of action with four best bets on the card.
5:30 Chepstow – Racing League 15 Handicap (For horses In The Care Of Trainers Registered To Racing League) (Class 3) (3yo+ 0-90) – Thunder Blue 16/1 0.5pt EW 4 places
Wales and the West have yet to hit top gear in the Racing League so far despite originally starting favourites, but they’ve successfully targeted this meeting at Chepstow the last two years and THUNDER BLUE can kick their night off to a flying start.
The Blue Point gelding landed a Racing League pot at Wolverhampton off a mark of 85 last season and went down a length at Newcastle in this series two starts later off a mark of 88. He was an eye-catcher at Yarmouth last week when beaten three lengths by Tuco Salamanca when unfavourably drawn high and predominantly racing near-side centre, with the whole card largely favouring those to the far-side, notwithstanding the minor lack of a gap in running when looking to get into top gear.
He’s been dropped two pounds to his lowest mark in handicaps yet and the blinkers are equipped for the first time since he wore them in the G1 Prix Morny in August 2023. Thunder Blue is winless since that Wolverhampton success, but he took his record over seven furlongs to 0-6 in three efforts over the trip this season, and last start out sparked an imminent return to form, with the balance of probability suggesting it may be here.
6:00 Chepstow – Racing League 16 Handicap (For horses In The Care Of Trainers Registered To Racing League) (Class 4) (3yo+ 0-85) – Boubyan 7/1 1pt WIN
There could be more to come from BOUBAYAN, who makes his yard debut for Mick Appleby having changed hands at the HIT Sales for 46,000 GNS last month out of Andrew Balding’s yard.
The son of Churchill originally cost £140,000 as a yearling but was evidently a backward sort having ran green in rear in each of his qualifying runs for handicaps toward the back end of the year, but he displayed evident promise in each of them and the form of his three lengths Chelmsford ninth has worked out very well, with the winner given an opening mark of 87, the third and fourth on 80/82 respectively, the fifth on 90 (touched off in Goodwood Handicap last week), the sixth on 95 and the eight on 89.
He initially failed to improve for a gelding operation and the step up to a mile in handicaps, but when equipped in cheek-pieces on his his third start last time out he gamely fended off a host of late challengers to make all in the manner of one with more to come.
A subsequent 3lbs rise is more than workable, and off bottom weight he could be tough to peg back.
6:30 Chepstow – Racing League 17 Handicap (For horses In The Care Of Trainers Registered To Racing League) (Class 2) (3yo+) – Streets Of Gold 8/1 1pt EW 3 places
STREETS OF GOLD remains winless since going 11111 in his two year old season, but he’s contested some tough events since and paid the price for a lofty handicap mark in the process. That said, he was only beaten two lengths in the Victoria Cup last season off a mark of 105, and two starts later he was beaten a short neck in this contest off a 7lbs higher mark when a more vigorous ride in the finish may have got him home.
The form of that had worked out very well, as the winner had subsequent form figures of 3461 culminating with success in the Balmoral Handicap peaking at a mark of 110, the second subsequently took a Naas Handicap now rated 9lbs higher, and the third won next time out.
He’s since switched yards to Julie Camacho and has caught the eye on both occasions this season, beaten a length on seasonal debut at Newcastle with the front four pulling clear of the third, before beaten three lengths off top-weight in a competitive York Handicap, finishing a length behind the subsequent International Handicap third Sword and two lengths behind Dubai Treasure who landed a Fillies Handicap at the Goodwood Festival next time out.
The in-form Kevin Stott takes the ride, and given he’s 7lbs lower than when third in this race last season it would come as a shock should he at least not match that effort this time around.
7:30 Chepstow – Racing League 19 Handicap (For horses In The Care Of Trainers Registered To Racing League) (Class 4) (3yo+ 0-85) – Vince L’Amour 25/1 0.5pt EW 4 places
VINCE L’AMOUR saw plenty of racing last season after making all to win two of his first three handicaps, before eleven races later he saw himself back in the winners enclosure when again making all to win a class three at York in October.
He began this year with a solid third at Pontefract to be beaten two lengths off a mark of 82, with the winners now rated 11lbs higher having landed the Scottish Stewards Cup last time out, but has since regressed to be rated 14lbs lower in just six runs.
He’s been equipped with blinkers in his latest two starts and has signalled a return to form, as he finished midfield at Chester when held up in rear to be beaten six lengths in what could only be described as a tenderly given ride, before failing to make all at York in a rare run over six furlongs. He only weakened two out there and it was his best effort since Pontefract, so the drop back to five furlongs off his lowest mark in handicaps since landing his first one last April makes him a worthy outsider to chance.
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