Chester selections Thursday 6th May
Day Two at Chester and there is more of a focus on the older horses this afternoon. I have selections for the two handicaps for the seniors, with the same trainers followed yesterday entrusted with our choices for Thursday. Pivoting was placed for the each-way bet on Day One (SP 8/1).
Tim Easterby sets a poser by saddling two fancied runners (1.45). Copper Knight, a horse with a decent track record is fancied down in the weights, but he is on a long losing run and preference is for COUNT D’ORSAY with stable jockey David Allan on board.
He finished behind his stablemate when both made their reappearance at Musselburgh last month. However Count D’Orsay will much prefer today’s softer going and will surely have come on dramatically for that outing. Whilst this will be his first visit to the Roodee, his best form has all been shown on sharp tracks, notably Catterick where he won the track’s biggest prize, the Dash in 2019, and was second in the same contest last autumn from the same mark as today (99). That bodes well for his ability to handle this tight track and he is reasonably drawn in six.
SPIRIT DANCER (3.45) is another for who much better is expected today than on his return to the track last month. He got very tired late on at Newbury, suggesting he badly needed the run, as many of Richard Fahey’s have been doing this spring. However he was progressive during 2020, and still looks thoroughly unexposed and with plenty of potential for improvement in his 4yo season.
He won a soft ground maiden at Ripon in August and then ran two crackers in defeat in competitive handicaps at Ayr and York. He is 4lbs better off with First Impression on his narrow defeat at Ayr and with a berth in stall 2 has the ideal opportunity to take up a favoured rail position and then strike in the straight once the cutaway arrives.
Recommended bets:
1pt each-way – Count D’Orsay – 1.45 Chester – 12/1 general
1pt each-way – Spirit Dancer – 3.45 Chester – 11/2 William Hill (1/5 odds 1st 4)
