Steve Hughes has two bets for the opening day of Chester’s big fixture of the season
With the Chester Cup now moved to the final day, Wednesday’s Chester card is not the strongest. However I have two bets in handicaps on the Roodee. We had success with our two bets at Newmarket on Sunday – Baghdad winning (9/4) and Victory Angel making fourth place each-way with Skybet (sp 18/1).
Chester 3.00: She Can Boogie
Locally based trainer Tom Dascombe targets this fixture more than any other and he fires plenty of ammunition across the card, including three in this contest. Of those I like the chances of She Can Boogie best, under stable jockey Richard Kingscote.
Admittedly Kingscote would not be able to do the weight on the other two stable representatives. However this filly has an abundance of pace and plenty of experience around these tight turns. She improved with every run on turf last season from modest beginnings. She made all to win a novice here and them was always prominent when winning twice at Nottingham.
She does not have to lead and from a decent stall in five, I would hope Kingscote can just drop her in off a likely early furious pace. She certainly has the cruising speed to lie up. Although without a recent outing, given her trainer, I would expect her to be ready for this valuable prize.
Chester 5.05: Queens Sargent
As always at Chester the draw should play a big part and Queens Sargent has to be respected from the ideal number one berth.
The 4yo has always been at his best on a soft surface so the prospect of overnight rain can only enhance his already strong claims. His only race win to date came on heavy going at Musselburgh last spring, but he finished off last season strongly with second places at both York and Redcar under testing conditions.
Considering the ground was on the fast side, his comeback at Doncaster was an excellent effort, placing third in a big field over this 7f. Able to race off the same mark of 82 today the combination of going and draw should make him hard to beat.
Recommended bets:
1pt each-way – She Can Boogie – 3.00 Chester – 9/1 Paddy Power
2pts win – Queens Sargent – 5.05 Chester – 4/1 general