Comedy and Emiyn look a divine duo at Chester
AFTER the first two Classics of the Flat season last weekend, this week’s Chester May Meeting looks set to provide some clues for the next two Classics on the agenda, next month’s Oaks and Derby from Epsom.
Aidan O’Brien always targets the three-day meeting with some of his Classic hopefuls, so it will be interesting to see how Minnie Hauk and Lambourn go in tomorrow’s Cheshire Oaks (2.35pm) and Chester Vase (3.05pm) respectively.
Both are current favourites in the markets and Ballydoyle are also likely to have the market leader in Thursday’s main trial race, the Dee Stakes (2.35pm), where both Mount Kilimanjaro and Isambard Brunel have been declared.
However, the climax to Chester’s week comes on Friday with the Chester Cup (3.05pm), a marathon contest over two miles and two furlongs.
Chester is a unique course, sandwiched between the banks of the River Dee and the old city walls, it is a famously tight track, and runners are nearly always on the turn as they negotiate it’s bends and short home straight.
Horses that have proven Chester form become far more interesting at this venue in comparison to perhaps better rated but lesser experienced rivals.
Lack of a prior run at Chester has to be a worry for horses like East India Dock and Wonder Legend who occupy the top two spots in the market and they look short enough for me.
The draw is another important factor at Chester, and if they were to be handed wide numbers, then they could line up at double their current odds.
With that in mind, I’d much rather side with a horse that has an excellent record at Chester and is a far more backable price in EMIYN.
Declan Carroll’s eight-year-old has recorded three of his five career wins at Chester, so can be considered a course specialist, and went down by less than a length when second in this race last season.
He lines up here off a two-pound lower mark and should be primed for another big run.
I always like to side with horses that have been specifically prepared for a race, and that’s clearly the case with Emiyn, so the 33/1 on offer looks well worth taking.
DIVINE COMEDY hasn’t run at Chester before, but her running style makes her of interest around the turns of the Roodee.
Meeting trouble in running is a constant concern here, especially with a big Chester Cup field, so a front runner can often hold an advantage.
Divine Comedy has returned with two good runs this season, including when a close second in Listed company on her seasonal debut, so comes here race fit.
She’s a strong stayer at this trip and goes well for pilot Kaiya Fraser, so if she gets a decent draw and goes to the front from the off, I can see her taking a bit of reeling in at the finish.
Again, a price of 20/1 probably underestimates her chance and I can see her going off shorter come the day.
The opening contest on Friday (1.30pm) is a competitive seven-and-a-half-furlong handicap where TWO TEMPTING catches my eye at a big price.
Jonny Portman has his horses in flying form at the moment and this gelding looks to have been brought to the boil for this race.
His last run when fourth in the Spring Cup at Doncaster was a good one and that should have left him spot on for this.
The fact he won over this course and distance last season is a major positive, and he lines up here off just a one-pound higher mark, so 14/1 is more than enough of a price to tempt me.
POINTERS FRIDAY
Two Tempting e/w 1.30pm Chester
Emiyn e/w 3.05pm Chester
Divine Comedy e/w 3.05pm Chester