Who To Follow At Chester On Friday

James Mackie | @JMackieRacing

Thu 11 May 2023 09.50

Chester 13:40

4(3)

Point Lonsdale

J: Ryan Moore

T: A P O'Brien

N/A

Age: 4

Weight: 9-3

OR: 113

Days: 26

The feature event of the afternoon is the Group Two Huxley Stakes over 10.5f and Point Lonsdale for Aidan O'Brien is a class act.

A very bright juvenile winning his first two events, including the Listed Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot on soft ground, Group Three Tyros Stakes at Leopardstown and Group Two Futurity Stakes at the Curragh.

Point Lonsdale finished that season finishing a good second in the National Stakes behind the superstar two year old Native Trail.

Seen just once as a three year old when running no race in the 2000 Guineas he suffered a setback and was put away fro the rest of the term.

Returning this term up in trip to 1m2f at the Curragh he landed the Group Three Alleged Stakes in good fashion, with the second since franking the form by landing the Group Two Moorebridge Stakes.

O'Brien has won two of the last five renewals of the race and looks to have as good as chance as ever with this one to make it 3/6.

Form: 11201View

Date	Course	Distance	Type	Weight	Position
29/07/23	ASC	12	GS	9-9	8
02/06/23	EPS	12	GF	9-2	3
12/05/23	CHS	10.5	Sft	9-3	1
16/04/23	CUR	10	Hy	9-5	1
30/04/22	NMK	8	Gd	9-0	10

William Haggas has not made the greatest start to the season but having already notched a winner at the May meeting this season, he has two runners on Friday that are worth watching.

The first comes in the Group Two Huxley Stakes with Mujtaba taking on Point Lonsdale and off the back of his latest success at Newbury he has to be taken seriously.

His other runner on the afternoon comes in the Maiden Stakes with Medieval Gold a well bred son of Camelot that makes his debut for the yard.

Starting to get back to somewhere his form was last season the trainer is running at a strike rate of 19% for the last two weeks.

Billy the kid has been the talking jockey on the flat over the last six months, rapidly seeing his claim come down to 3lb and a whole host of trainers are now using him for their horses.

At Chester on Friday he has a decent nook of rides starting in the Class 2 10.5f Handicap with last years winner of the race Baryshnikov holding a leading chance off the same mark as last year.

In the Chester Cup, Loughnane teams up with Richard Hughes on Bascule who has some fair back from and off a mark of 91 could fill the places.

The rider then jumps on the favourite in the Apprentice Handicap with the Gordon Elliott trained By Your Side looking to have a huge chance.

Finally, in the Chester Plate Loughnane rides the second favourite It's Good To Laugh for trainer Jennie Candlish with the gelding a winner at the track already.