Chester selections Thursday 9th May
The second day of the Chester May meeting looks set to be run in glorious conditions and therefore I am looking for horses who will act well on the drying ground. We had the forecast in our latest column at Newmarket on Sunday in the 14f handicap with Bague D’Or winning (SP 6/1) ahead of each-way selection Vaguely Royal (Sp 16/1) in second.
Chester 1.30: Clearpoint
Predictably the horses drawn 1-3 in the opening sprint are the three that head the betting at the time of writing. Of those I think it is the third favourite, drawn in stall three, CLEARPOINT who I like the most.
The 4yo looks totally unexposed on turf and after a successful stint on the All Weather this winter, looks to remain feasibly weighted after an unlucky return to grass at Epsom last time. On that occasion he got knocked to the back early on, but managed to fight his way back to fourth late on.
I expect Democracy Dilemma to go hard from the front from his low draw and that might offer Clearpoint a nice tow into the race. On the drying ground Roman Dragon might lack the early speed to take advantage of stall one. Clearpoint showed he has the pace to win a sharp 5f race having won around a bend at Wolverhampton in November and with his jockey’s claim today, effectively races off the same mark of 86 here.
Chester 4.10: Loyal Touch
Another horse to be coming here from a spell on an artificial surface, LOYAL TOUCH has proved to be as good on turf already and has solid claims in this handicap.
Having needed the run on his comeback from a seven month break at Lingfield, his last two runs at Newcastle have seen him back to his best. A narrow but game winner two weeks later was backed up by a solid second to Aerospace last time out.
Loyal Touch kept good company on turf last summer, placing sixth at the Ebor Meeting at York and filled the same position at Glorious Goodwood. The 4yo often makes the running, and from stall four he ought to be able to take up that position should jockey Jason Hart see fit. Drying ground is definitely a positive too.
Recommended bets:
1pt each-way – Clearpoint – 1.30 Chester – 15/2 BetVictor (1/5 odds 1st 4)
0.5pts each-way – Loyal Touch – 4.10 Chester – 7/1 general (most bookies 1/5 odds 1st 4)
