Chester Wednesday Preview - 10/05/23

The first event of the afternoon from Chester on Wednesday sees the Lily Agnes Conditions Stakes over 5f and Ziggy's Phoenix could be very tough to beat from stall 1.

Given her debut in April at Kempton over 5f, she learnt a lot for her first exeperience only finishing a length behind the winner in fourth.

She improved massively for her debut run when last seen at Ripon on soft ground, going on to win well under a good ride by Joe Fanning.

Ryan Moore takes the ride on Wednesday and getting her ideal soft conditions and getting the plum draw in stall 1, she can make it back to back wins.

The first handicap event on Wednesday comes in the second race of the afternoon pver 5f and Democracy Dilemma for trainer David Evans should go close.

This horse has really pulled it all together so far this season, having been running poorly during the winter but heading into the spring has turned his form around.

A winner in February at Wolverhampton off a mark of 76 over 5f, he then went to Lingfield in March and finished a close third behind the talented Conquistador for George Boughey.

Upped to 6f and finishing second at the same track, he was last seen getting back to winning ways at Thirsk, having his first run on turf since June 2021 and giving weight away to the second, third and fourth.

He seemed to act massively on the soft ground and will be getting the same conditions again on Wednesday.

One of our best bets of the afternoon comes in the Listed Cheshire Oaks over 1m 3 1/2f with Savethelastdance for Aidan O'Brien holding all the form in the book.

Seen just once as a juvenile when fifth of eight at Thurles over a mile in a Maiden, she was then put away for her three year old campaign.

Given her seasonal debut this term she made a huge impression at Leopardstown when stepped up to 1m2f and going on to beat stablemate Boogie Woogie by 2 1/4 lengths.

Boogie Woogie has since bolted up in a Fillies' Maiden at Naas and the third Azazat has also gone on to frank the form in a good way.

The softer the better for her off the back of her sole run this season and the step up in trip should suit being a daughter of Galileo.

O'Brien has won seven of the last 14 renewals of this race.

The feature race on day one of Chester's May meeting is the Group Three Chester Vase Stakes over 1m 4 1/2f and Arrest for John & Thady Gosden if getting the trip will certainly handle the ground.

Arrest on debut last year at Sandown over 7f finished behind the exciting Nostrum back in third showing good ability, he then stepped up to a mile at Sandown and got off the mark beating Desert Order close home.

Then sent to Ffos Las to have a prep run before heading over to France he confronted soft in the going for the first time and still went on to bolt up, with the second and third since franking the form.

Arrest himself gave that form line a boost when last seen stepping up to 1m2f in France on heavy ground and finishing a head second to Dubai Mile for Charlie Johnston.

He could be a class above this small field.

Next up is the Camden Pale Handicap over 6f and we are taking a bit of a chance on Radio Goo Goo from Stall 1 for trainer David Evans.

A fairly consistent horse throughout 2022 with some good placed efforts on the all weather, having raced just once on turf we feel she can improve for a switch of surfaces.

A good second at Wolves on Boxing Day when finishing behind Conquistador over 5f, she then went back to Wolves up to 6f in March and landed the first race of her career when bolting up by three lengths.

Last seen at Lingfield in the competitive All-Weather Vase Three-Year-Old Handicap over 6f, she finished three lengths behind the winner in fifth.

Having only been seen once in her career on turf when fourth of 10 at Windsor on soft ground behind some nice types, from stall 1 she can grab place money at a big price.

The penultimate event of the afternoon is the Maiden Stakes over 1m 2 1/2f and we are giving a chance to Vaguely Royal for John & Thady Gosden.

Drawn in stall 2, the well bred son of Galileo is related to the likes of Minding, Lillie Langtry, Tuesday and Empress Josephine.

Seen just once to date when third on debut over a mile at Yarmouth on good ground, he should come on massively for that run and stepping up in trip should bring more improvement if handling the ground.

The final selection on day one of Chester's May meeting comes in the Class 4 Handicap over 7f and Paws For Thought looks well handicapped on some of his form last season.

A horse that has been frequently ran at Chester throughout his career and very rarely finishes out the frame, now down to a mark of 81 drawn handily in stall 6, he could go close.

Landing the first winner of his career back in 2020 over course and distance off a mark of 75, he is a horse that does not win that often but does run his race the majority of the time.

His Chester record is what makes him one to watch on Wednesday currently having figures of 1144239, with his last two seasonal debuts coming at Chester with him winning and finishing second in this race last year.

Now 6lb lower than his last winning mark and 3lb lower than when second in the race last year, he holds obvious claims on ground he handles.