13:50 Chester

Friday 12 May 2017

All13:5014:2515:0015:3516:0516:3517:05

Crabbie's Earl Grosvenor Handicap

Off time: 13:54 | Winning time: 1m 33.76s

(11)

Hillbilly Boy¹⁷⁶

Age: 7| Weight: 9-7| J: R Kingscote| T: Tom Dascombe| OR: 105

10/1

Back-to-back C&D winner last year and followed that up with a Listed success over 6f here. Respectable placed effort in France towards the end of last season and he remains on a fair enough mark but wide draw will be tough to overcome, particularly for a front-runner who will face plenty of competition for the lead. Best watched despite winning this last year and excellent form of the yard.

Form: 911103-

(8)

Sound Advice⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 9-0| J: D C Costello| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 98

12/1

Had run okay at this meeting last year before scoring over C&D later in the month, his third C&D success of his career. Shaped lilke he may come on for his comeback run at Thirsk last week and while he was a little out of form towards the end of last season, he may be able to bounce back now.

Form: 62900-7

(4)

Ice Slice³⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 8-9| J: Ryan Tate| T: J M P Eustace| OR: 93

4/1

In fine form last summer recording a four-timer before winning a C&D contest a little later in the year. A little hit and miss since and never won in this class but he's only 2lb above his highest winning mark. Workable draw and should come on for his recent reappearance at Nottingham.

Form: 31404-0

(3)

Gabrial's Kaka⁴¹

Age: 7| Weight: 8-9| J: P Hanagan| T: R A Fahey| OR: 93

17/2

Scored off this mark in June last year but this looks a stronger contest and he was very disappointing on his comeback run at Doncaster. Effective when there's a decent pace to aim at and should get that here but stable jockey prefers the claims of Rene Mathis and this rider has a poor record at this course.

Form: 21806-0

(12)

Lat Hawill^v⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 8-9| J: Rowan Scott⁽⁵⁾| T: K Dalgleish| OR: 93

16/1

Just two wins from 23 starts and evidently hard to catch right. Not scored since 2015 and both his victories have come on good to firm ground so wouldn't want any rain to arrive; probably best watched when the fact he can sometimes miss the break is thrown into the equation.

Form: 70-0207

(9)

Intransigent²⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 8-7| J: Oisin Murphy| T: A M Balding| OR: 91

16/1

Won a Listed contest here back in 2014 and recorded his first win in just over two years at Kempton at the start of 2017. Still on a very fair mark but there's just a suspicion that while he has some form on tight tracks, he's better suited to somewhere a little more galloping. His draw isn't ideal and he looks a little vulnerable for win purposes but he's not dismissed off such a fair mark.

Form: 412250

(13)

Fuwairt⁴¹

Age: 5| Weight: 8-7| J: J F Egan| T: R Fell & S Murray| OR: 91

16/1

Very respectable third behind Flaiming Spear at Newcastle in what looks like a hot race with the form having been franked several times since. Not seen to best effect at Doncaster last time but that was still a respectable effort. The draw would be the main concern this time around but jockey rides this course well and not without each-way claims.

Form: 80423-7

(2)

El Hayem²⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 8-6| J: Andrea Atzeni| T: Sir Michael Stoute| OR: 90

13/8

Less exposed than the rest of this field and just had five starts to date. Won a Doncaster maiden over a mile last year but proved a little disappointing on two subsequent starts. Likely to do better this year and comeback run at Newbury was full of promise. Left on the same mark after that effort and he should come on for the run; he's one of the more interesting ones for a yard in form.

Form: 4129-62

(14)

Calder Prince¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 8-6| J: F Norton| T: Tom Dascombe| OR: 90

16/1

Placed just once in his last ten starts but below his last winning mark now. Best suited to softer ground so connections will be hoping the rain arrives but it will be a tough ask from this draw, despite course specialist booked to ride.

Form: 076-864

(1)

Michele Strogoff¹⁴²

Age: 4| Weight: 8-4| J: D Fentiman| T: T Coyle & K Wood| OR: 88

14/1

Starts life for a new yard for the fifth time in his short career having only won a claiming race in France and a juvenile race in Italy to date. Showed glimpses of ability when trained by Roger Fell but probably need more relief from the handicapper, despite having a fair draw to work with.

Form: 453559-

(10)

Tribal Path^t³³

Age: 7| Weight: 8-2| J: C P Hoban| T: D English| OR: 86

33/1

Irish raider who was runner-up at Dundalk two starts back but not won since recording a four-timer last summer. Mark looks a little high at present (8lb above his last winning one) and draw won't be easy to overcome.

Form: 70-4429

Non-Runners

(5)

Rene Mathis²⁰

Weight: 9-2| Age: 7

T: R A Fahey J: P Hanagan

(7)

Grand Inquisitor¹⁵

Weight: 8-2| Age: 5

T: Ian Williams J: Ryan Powell

(6)

Call Out Loud²

Weight: 8-2| Age: 5

T: M Appleby J: Non Runner

Forecasts

El Hayem (13/8), Ice Slice (4/1), Rene Mathis (5/1), Gabrial's Kaka (17/2), Hillbilly Boy (10/1), Sound Advice (12/1), Call Out Loud (12/1), Michele Strogoff (14/1), Grand Inquisitor (14/1), Fuwairt (16/1), Lat Hawill (16/1), Calder Prince (16/1), Intransigent (16/1), Tribal Path (33/1)

EL HAYEM comes in with a different profile to the rest of the field and he's probably better than a mark of 90; with the yard in form and a perfect draw, he could be tough to beat. Fuwairt performed a little better than his finishing position suggested last time at Doncaster but over coming his draw (13) won't be easy. Rene Mathis looks like the main danger to the selection if he returns in the same form of his latest victory.