Matt Brocklebank has had a second successive winning Nap - now Ben Linfoot has the Wednesday best bets.
Joseph Parr’s G’DAAY can go well from a prominent position from a nice draw in stall 4 in the closing CNG Switch Handicap on day one of Chester’s May Festival. He should be fit and firing following his reappearance run at Chelmsford at the end of April and the return of the visor is a positive. He ran well on softer ground than ideal at this track last August and on better conditions he could be tough to catch under Sean Levey.
PAY THE PIPER has dropped down the weights significantly and he can take advantage of a mark of 129 in the Bedmax Handicap Chase at Kelso. Ann Hamilton’s horse was rated in the 140s at the start of the season and was sent off 11/8 favourite to win a handicap chase off such a mark at this track, but he never got going in that race or throughout the season. However, there was hope in his latest second at Newcastle, and on better ground than he’s experienced all winter he can win again.
Gary & Josh Moore might well have already had their first winner over jumps together by the time LUMI PLUGIN runs in the maiden hurdle at Fontwell but if not he could be the partnership’s first success in the sphere together. A big eyecatcher at this track last time on his hurdling debut, he’s going to love the step up in trip and he might even be a bit of value against a few horses that have slightly better form.
Charles Hills’ GET JIGGY WITH IT can come on for her recent reappearance and land the novice stakes over seven furlongs at Kempton (7.00). The daughter of Highland Reel ran on well for second in her first start in over six months at Lingfield in early April and if she comes on from that as expected she’ll play a leading role here under Saffie Osborne.
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Some really progressive types in the 1m4f handicap that closes Thursday's card at Chester, not least hat trick-seeking Arch Legend and the visually impressive Doncaster scorer Contacto. Preference is for Tim Easterby's FILIBUSTERING, who is officially 4lb ahead of the handicapper after his much-improved effort in second over 1m6f at Wetherby 11 days ago. He went through that race like a really well treated horse, only run down in the final furlong by The Crafty Mole, to whom the selection was conceding more than a stone in weight. He gets into this off the bottom rung and looks likely to be even more effective down a couple of furlongs around here.
It could be another good day for the Skeltons at Huntingdon and CHATTY CHICH looks a winner waiting to happen after her handicap debut second at Fakenham last month. The step up to three miles (from two) saw her take a massive step forward that day, the sharp track arguably catching her out in terms of natural pace, but she was beaten less than a length at the line and has only gone up 2lb on the back of it so swift compensation awaits here with a bit of luck.
The money went west after BASILETTE was heavily backed (12/1 into 2s) at Salisbury on Sunday but she did travel menacingly well before just not quite seeing out strongly enough on the heavy going. That first run since early March might just have been needed too and it's encouraging to see the mare back in action so soon afterwards, with the forecast good ground looking more to her liking, having won a Stratford bumper on a sound surface last summer.
TOUR OVALIE is still obviously a shade green but there have been clear signs of encouragement in her two starts since switching to handicaps and the first two came 11 lengths clear when finding just Our Dylan too strong in a novices' handicap at Hereford last month. Better ground here might help eke out a little more improvement as she could settle better and have a little more in the tank late in the day.
REACHING HIGH - a daughter of Gold Cup winner Estimate and by the great Sea The Stars - was spotted doing some good late work on his seasonal return at Windsor last month and now goes handicapping from an opening mark of just 74. His half-brother Evaluation was fifth in the same Windsor novice in 2021 before progressing to a peak rating of 93 and this gelding looks highly likely to step up quite considerably. Trainer Sir Michael Stoute is only just getting rolling for the year but recent signs are encouraging in that regard and this horse has clear potential.
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