Chester’s May meeting kicks off on Wednesday, with the nature of the Roodee often shaping the betting markets significantly. Looking at the exchange with Smarkets, we look at two horses to back and two to lay among the day one favourites.
BACK – Ali Shuffle in the 1.30 @ Chester
Although this is a race for two-year-olds who could be improving at different rates, there appear to be many reasons to side with the favourite ALI SHUFFLE in the opener at Chester. The race conditions massively favour her as she gets weight from six of her rivals, having already won on both of her starts to date.
The daughter of A’Ali has also been given a very kind draw in stall 2 and has shown early pace on both of her starts so far. The form of her Beverley win last time out has been franked, making her the clear selection on performances so far.
LAY – Ruby’s Profit in the 2.05 @ Chester
Trading as joint favourite in some places, Ruby’s Profit looks worth taking on in the second race of the day. He two best performances so far have been on all-weather surfaces, which did include her comeback at Wolverhampton, in which she won by more than three lengths. However, the handicapper has raised her 11lb for that victory and her turf form does not match up so far.
A draw in stall 6 is not a disaster, although main market rival Redorange is in stall 2, with his reappearance run at Sandown being highly respectable. As well as him, course and distance winners Seraphim Angel and Fuji Mountain add depth which suggests Ruby’s Profit has to show much more for this return to grass.
LAY – Minnie Hauk in the 2.35 @ Chester
Unsurprisingly, Aidan O’Brien wins this race more regularly than any other trainer, so Minnie Hauk has to be respected on her comeback run for the season. She was a very expensive yearling, costing 1,850,000 Euros, and has a reputation to match, going off at 13/8 on debut when second at Cork, before following up with a win at 2/5 at Leopardstown last October.
That form is no better than average though, with some of it working out particularly poorly, so she is taken on given she has to improve substantially more than at least one of her rivals. Most appealing is THAT’S AMORE of Ralph Beckett’s, who won by six lengths on debut, should adjust for the ground, and her trainer won this race a year ago from an O’Brien favourite.
BACK – Lambourn in the 3.05 @ Chester
As with the Cheshire Oaks above, the Chester Vase has been farmed by Ballydoyle as a Derby trial. However, where Minnie Hauk lacks the form, LAMBOURN possesses plenty to like as he looks to join Aidan O’Brien’s ranks for the Epsom Classic at the start of June.
He may have been getting 3lb from stablemate Delacroix at Leopardstown last time out, but he was finishing off strongly in the Group 3 Ballysax Stakes over 1m2f that day. He was ceding significant top level experience to that rival too, but shaped like he already needed a longer distance and would be a tough horse to beat if able to step up on that level of form. Ryan Moore sides with him over stablemate Thrice as well.
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