Chester Thursday Preview - 11/05/23

A different horse since the turn of the year, winning at Wolves over 5f off a mark of 72, he then went to Newcastle a month later and finished close third.

Getting back to winning ways at Southwell next time out off a mark of 76, he then went up to a mark of 80 for his last run at Lingfield but was not for stopping carrying his good run of form going on to land his third race in four runs.

Off only 2lb higher at Newmarket next time out he ran another big race to finish less than a length back in third behind the progressive Dream Composer.

Dream Composer has since won again at Goodwood and Lihou also franked the form last time out when tackling soft ground at Epsom and finishing best of the pack.

Up 4lb for this event to a mark of 86 he has been in electric form of late and from stall 2 should see him go close again.

Next up is the Deepbridge Capital Handicap over 7 1/2f and Vetiver for trainer Andrew Balding makes her handicap debut off a mark of 90 and she has looked a very smart horse in the making on her three starts to date.

Second on debut at Chepstow last term over 6f when behind the talented Manitou for Archie Watson who was odds on that day, she was then seen once more as a juvenile when stepped up to todays trip at Beverley and got of the mark in good style.

Upped in trip by a furlong at Beverley again for her seasonal debut this term she showed how much she had progressed during the winter to bolt up by close to six lengths under a penalty.

Drawn in stall 2 for her handicap debut off a mark of 90 she should be able to get a nice position and having handled soft ground before she should go well.

Composer at a bigger price for Ralph Beckett should also go well.

One of the big races of the afternoon is the Listed Dee Stakes and we like the look of the Sir Michael Stoute trained Passenger who made a very pleasing debut at Newmarket at the start of the season.

Running in the prestigious Wood Ditton Maiden Stakes over a mile he travelled well into the race and pulled clear of some promising types in Kathab and New Business to win by three lengths.

Stoute after the race was keen to step him up in trip and he gets that in this race and being a son of Ulysses he should handle the softer conditions he will get at Chester compared to his debut.

Fascinating talent.

The feature event of the afternoon on the second day of Chester's May meeting is the Group Three Ormonde Stakes and off the back of a long break, Changingoftheguard for Aidan O'Brien looks an ideal type to land this race.

Not showing all that much as a juvenile over a mile, finishing the 2021 season when finishing a neck second to stablemate River Thames at Punchestown.

As a three year old he turned into the horse many thought he would, making his debut in the April at Dundalk over 10.5f when bolting up by six lengths.

Sent to this meeting last year in the Group Three Chester Vase he revelled in the soft ground to see off the talented New London by close to seven lengths.

Looking to make it a hat-trick of wins in the Epsom Derby he finished a good fifth, running a solid race and just being beat by horses closer to the pace.

Sent to Royal Ascot off the back of that run he got back to winning ways in fine style when beating the talented Grand Alliance by a short head in the Group Two king Edward VII Stakes.

He is a horse that is thorougher stayer that handles soft ground and having won at this track before, if fully fit he looks the value in the field.

The penultimate selection of the afternoon comes in the TMT Group Handicap over 1m 2 1/2fn and City Streak for Andrew Balding should run well.

A four year old that has largely been consistent, last term grabbing the first win over 9.5f at Wolves when bolting up in a Novice Stakes.

Sent to Chester off the back of that run he was a good second the smart Cormier over todays course and distance and on the same conditions.

That run came on handicap debut off a mark of 80 and then off 2lb higher at Goodwood ran another cracker to place in what looked a better races.

Seen for the first time this season in a Class 3 Handicap at Chelmsford over 1m2f when just over half a length back in third, he runs off the same mark this afternoon at a track he has ran well at before and that makes him a player.

The final event of the afternoon is the Class 4 Handicap over 1m 4 1/2f and Cantora for George Boughey should handle the step up in trip on ground she loves.

Putting together two wins at the back end of the 2022 season when taking a 7f handicap on heavy ground at Leicester and then next time out at Redcar upped to a mile on the same ground he made it back to back wins.

Starting this season off at Lingfield over 1m2f when needing the run back in fourth, she then went to Redcar on soft ground and finished a neck second when she probably should have won the race.

Seen at Beverley last time out off a mark of 67 she got back to winning ways in very good style, going away at the line to suggest she will get further and although higher in the weights today she has the scope to progress into a very good horse at this trip.