Round Two Racing League Preview 2023 - Chepstow Meeting

The first selection from Chepstow on Round two of the 2023 Racing League comes in the Class 4 Handicap over a mile and the horse we are siding with is the Richard Fahey trained Hartswood.

A six year old that has been in good form in all three of his runs this season starting the season off over a mile at Thirsk and taking a Class 5 Handicap in good style off a mark of 76, giving weight away to the field.

Sent to Pontefract on good to soft ground up 4lbs and he ran another credible race when jut over a length back in fourth, keeping on well throughout the race.

Last seen finishing a good second to Tele Red at York in a Class 4 Handicap over a mile off the same mark and if running to the same form is sure to be in the mix on ground he handles.

Next up is the Class 4 Nursery Handicap over 6f and dropping back massively in class Eminy for The North looks a very interesting runner.

Seen four times to date making her debut at Beverley in a four runner field when running a a good race to finish just over a length behind the winner.

She then got off the mark at the second time of asking over the same course and distance beating a next time out winner by close to two lengths.

Sent into Handicap company off a mark of 76 she made it back to back wins at Leicester over 7f, just getting up by a head, staying on well in the finish.

Stepped up to Listed company when last seen and she was outclassed finishing back in sixth, but now back into handicap company, this is more her bag and if handling the softer conditions she won't be far away.

Dropping back in trip to 6f makes her interesting aswell.

Another tricky punting event on the Chepstow card is another Class 4 Handicap over 6f and if in the same form as her win at Glorious Goodwood nine days ago, Executive Force should take all the beating.

A good juvenile for Jessica Harrington last term, she then moved to Jamie Osborne and has ran to a good level on all three of her starts.

Starting her season off in June at Royal Ascot when a competitive fifth of 26 in the Palace Of Holyroodhouse Stakes over 5f, she then went to Newmarket over 6f in another big fielded Class 2 Handicap and again ran a solid event to finish fifth of 16 off a mark of 85.

The form of that race has worked out well with the winner a serial winner and the second landed a Listed race in France and Executive Decision herself got off the mark for her season at Glorious Goodwood last time out in the Class 3 Fillies' Handicap, beating Sophia's Starlight by just under two lengths.

Raised 6lb for that win to a mark of 90, she now drops back into a Class 4 Handicap in a smaller field and although top weight should be much better than these in conditions she performs well on.

We are giving another chance to Shahbaz in the Class 3 Handicap over 1m2f with gelding running well in the opening meting of the Racing League at Yarmouth and now stepping up in trip, he shaped last time out as though this would suit.

A consistent horse towards the back end of last season when finishing a good second at Nottingham behind a nice type for Richard Fahey over 1m2f on soft ground, he then rounded out the term by scoring at Newmarket again on soft ground over 1m1f.

Upped to a mark of 88 for the start of this season when a good third at Newmarket over 1m2f, he then went to Ascot in. competitive handicap and although finishing sixth of seven was only 2 1/4 lengths behind the winner Maasai Mara and second Westerton.

Seen again this term off a mark of 87 when dropped to a mile and finishing a close third behind the six unbeaten Sparks Fly.

Last seen at Yarmouth in the Racing League when flying home over a mile on good to soft ground to finish a head second to Achillea giving almost a stone away.

This extra two furlongs should bring more improvement and off the same mark he looks the one to beat.

Another competitive event on the Chepstow card is the Class 3 Handicap over 1m2f and Coco jack now down to a mark of 88 looks interesting.

His stand out run this season came at Musselburgh off a mark of 90 when a good second in a Class 3 Handicap to the smart Lion Of War over 9f.

Seen three more times since then off a mark of 91 he has not ran to the same level running in Class 3 and 2 company, with his best run of the three coming at Newmarket over a mile when fifth of nine behind some smart types including Highbank, Quantum Impact, Royal Dubai and Tafreej;

However, after his poor showing last time out back at Newmarket he has been dropped 3lb by the handicapper which now sees him off a mark of 88 which is 2lb lower than his last winning mark.

A key piece of form he needs to get back to is his Musselburgh run in June when finishing over four lengths ahead of Dancing In Paris for Ian William and he is the 9/2 second favourite in this event with Coco Jack as big as 16/1.

He is interesting if running to that level.

The penultimate selection of the evening in Wales is Manila Scouse for Tim Easterby in the Class 3 Handicap over 5f, who sees his mark of 81 untouched from his win four days ago at Haydock in the Sunday Series.

A fairly consistent horse all season having been knocking on the door in the early stages of the term with two good seconds at Ripon and Beverley on soft ground and then in July at Ayr back over 6f was another credible second giving weight away to the winner.

No good next time out over the same C&D in the Ayr Gold Cup Trial, but since that poor effort he has bounced back to form in a big way.

Sent to York in a Competitive Class 4 Handicap when finishing a close fourth of 16 off a mark of 79, he then went over the same C&D and was a better second to Stewards' Cup winner Aberama Gold in the Sky Bet Dash Handicap, only going down by a neck.

Up to a mark of 81 when last seen on Sunday at Haydock he was a decisive winner dropping back to down to 5f and off the same mark here handling softer conditions, he looks the obvious shout to take the event.

The final event on the second round of the 2023 Racing League from Chepstow sees the Class 2 Handicap over 7f and being a course and distance winner and dropping down the handicap, the old boy Accidental Agent can go well at a big price.

Now a nine year old the best of his form is behind him, being a Group One winner in the 2018 Queen Anne Stakes, but he is still running credibly in big fielded competitive handicaps and now dropping out of the 100's, he might be well handicapped.

Last seen racing off a mark of 101 at Newmarket in the Class 2 Bunbury Cup, he ran a solid race to finish three lengths back in fifth behind Biggles on good to soft ground.

Dropped 2lb for that run in what could be an easier race, because of his age he looks underestimated in the market off a mark of 99, which is his lowest mark since 2017.

He has a perfect record at the track albeit his win did come along time ago, but if running to the same form of his last run he looks an each way player.