ITV Racing is off to Chester this week, and Matt Chapman has got you covered with five races. Plus, throwing in one from Newton Abbot on Wednesday. Let’s go!
Matt Chapman’s Wednesday ITV Racing Picks
13:30 Chester – Ali Shuffle
13:45 Newton Abbot – Excello (Each-Way)
14:05 Chester – Redorange
14:35 Chester – Secret Of Love
15:05 Chester – Pinhole
15:40 Chester – Cyclonite (Each-Way)
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
The show starts here with the Lily Agnes Conditions Stakes for juveniles over 5f. ALI SHUFFLE has already shown a liking to race from close to the pace, so she really should be able to take advantage of a stall 1 draw.
She has looked promising in two wins at Redcar and Beverley, and that bit of extra experience over some of her rivals might also be crucial. She should have a big chance for Sam James and Karl Burke.
Moving away from Chester momentarily, ITV are also showing this handicap chase over 2m5f. It’s a decent little contest. A mark of 142 might be a step too far for Heltenham, although he has every chance as a horse in form.
I’ll have a few quid each-way on EXCELLO for Nicky Henderson and Paul O’Brien. My selection jumped for fun at Sandown two races ago when he just weakened last on over 3m.
Oddly, he was put up 2lb for that despite finishing fourth of the six runners, but he wasn’t running a bad race at Aintree behind Gentleman de Mee when a bad mistake two out knocked the stuffing out of him. He’s down 2lb here, and if there are eight runners, he is a fair each-way bet.
A handicap for three-year-olds over 5f. REDORANGE had been gelded and was back from a long absence when showing plenty of speed at Sandown last time. He couldn’t keep going inside the final furlong, but last year, he managed 6f no problem, so stamina is not an issue. I just think he was very fresh on return and he has a good draw here in stall 2 to bang out under Rossa Ryan for Clive Cox.
The Listed Cheshire Oaks for fillies over an extended 1m3f. SECRET OF LOVE should go well here for David Probert and Andrew Balding. My selection won a match last at Southwell, but showed us she was quite useful when chasing home Smoken in a Listed event at Newmarket in November.
She kept on really well that day, over 1m, and this extra distance should be right up her street, being by Sea The Moon and Smart Strike were very capable over a mile. She is also related to a horse who won over 1m6f.
The Group 3 Chester Vase over an extended 1m4f. PINHOLE showed promise on his debut for Sir Michael Stoute and then hacked up at Southwell for Ralph Beckett.
This is a very different test and it’s impossible to know what to expect, but I would have thought Pinhole will love this trip. He’s got a lovely pedigree, being by Frankel out of a Mizzen Mast mare, which makes him a brother to Group 1 winner Quadrilateral. All the pedigree suggests he will love this distance.
A handicap for three-year-olds over 6f. CYCLONITE is interesting for James Ferguson as a bang-fit horse who is ready to go. The draw is not too bad in stall 6, and the third at Newcastle last time was a pretty decent effort behind Berkshire Whisper.
Cyclonite did have the run of the race that day, but he comes here with an each-way chance at reasonable odds in a tricky heat to sort out. Hollie Doyle takes the mount, so you know you get everything in the saddle.
So, best of luck and pray for Yeeehaaas. You hear me, Paddy?
Matt Chapman’s Wednesday ITV Racing Picks
13:30 Chester – Ali Shuffle
13:45 Newton Abbot – Excello (Each-Way)
14:05 Chester – Redorange
14:35 Chester – Secret Of Love
15:05 Chester – Pinhole
15:40 Chester – Cyclonite (Each-Way)
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
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