Our form expert has two selections in the handicaps for day two of Chester on Thursday.
The Verdict: Thursday May 8
1pt win Fair Taxes in 1.30 Chester at 11/2 (General)
1pt win High On Hope in 3.40 Chester at 8/1 (General)
Hopes are High for Dascombe
As much as the Listed Boodles Raindance Dee Stakes occasionally provides a platform for a good three-year-old to announce themselves it’s the Group 3 Ladbrokes Big-Value You Can Bet On Ormonde Stakes that takes centre stage on day two at Chester.
The extended 1m5f contest for older horses has Ask, Harbinger, St Nicholas Abbey, Brown Panther, Clever Cookie, Japan and Hamish amongst its roll of honour this century and more big names clash on the Roodee on Thursday.
You wouldn’t describe it as a match with the gutsy course winner Al Qareem in there pitching for Karl Burke, but the big two are Illinois for Aidan O’Brien and Absurde for Willie Mullins as two racing worlds collide.
St Leger runner-up Illinois will be popular, but giving 5lb to Absurde makes this a tantalising betting dilemma as the early exchanges suggest with the former clinging onto favouritism as support piles in for the latter.
I don’t think the money for the Mullins runner is misplaced, but I will happily watch the Ormonde action play out and get stuck into the handicaps which are just as devilish as you’d expect.
Tom Dascombe went close to winning the Louise Keegan Handicap over the extended seven furlongs when he was based just up the road, his Hot Coffee, Above N Beyond, Dragons Tail and Barristan The Bold all finishing in the top three without winning in the last decade or so.
He’s back for more from Upper Lambourn now and his HIGH ON HOPE could be just the right sort of horse to break his duck in the contest despite being a maiden from eight career starts.
That doesn’t tell the whole story as he’s been running really well in defeat, the cheekpieces sharpening him up on his last three starts where he’s been second at Southwell and Bath and then third at Haydock.
He took a bit of a stumble round the bend at Haydock last time but ran well and with a 7lb pull at the weights in his favour he can reverse the form with the reopposing Sex On Fire, who was perked up by a first-time visor.
That weight turnaround is before Warren Fentiman’s 5lb claim is taken into account and he’s a young jockey with a bright future judging by the start he has made to life as an apprentice.
It all means High On Hope has a very good chance at the weights and his draw in seven shouldn’t be too bad in a race where the likely early pace looks drawn to his outside.
He has been difficult to win with, but this intermediate trip on the turn at Chester could be ideal for him and at 8/1 he represents a fair wager against El Burhan and God Of War who look likely improvers after being gelded.
The Verdict: Back HIGH ON HOPE in the 3.40 Chester
Taxes a Fair bet for O’Sullivan
The other bet at Chester is FAIR TAXES in the opening CAA Stellar Handicap over five furlongs.
Trained by County Kildare handler Ross O’Sullivan, this horse ran a remarkable race from stall 12 the last time he tackled this course and distance last August, beaten just a length and a half in third having raced wide throughout.
He’s only 1lb higher here and his luck has turned in the draw stakes given he’s been blessed with the plum berth in one, the perfect slot for a habitual front runner like him.
Last time at Dundalk he prepped lovely for this assignment when trying to make all after over five months off, rustiness just seeing him tire into fourth late on.
That should’ve put him spot on for this as he came on significantly for his first run last season, winning second time out at Fairyhouse after being beaten at Navan.
Saffie Osborne takes the ride and anything north of 4/1 looks fair, as while there’s the potential for a bit of pace pressure from his outside there’s every chance he gets the run of this if he pings the lids as usual.
The Verdict: Back FAIR TAXES in the 1.30 Chester
Preview posted at 1535 BST on 07/05/25
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