20:00 Chelmsford City

Thursday 7 December 2017

All17:2517:5518:3019:0019:3020:0020:3021:00

Bet toteWin At betfred.com Handicap (Div 1)

Off time: 20:02 | Winning time: 2m 7.95s

(1)

Diana Lady^h,t³⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 9-9| J: Edward Greatrex| T: L McJannet| OR: 62

25/1

Previously raced in Chile and Norway, but has proved nowhere near competitive since arriving in the UK. Finished last on all four starts on synthetics on these shores, and her mark is in free-fall accordingly.

Form: 5-09707

(2)

Ceyhan⁹³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-8| J: D C Costello| T: J A Osborne| OR: 61

14/1

A ten race maiden who has appeared regressive on turf during the traditional Flat season. Had some bits and pieces of placed form on the AW last winter (maidens), but nothing to get too excited about.

Form: 255857

(10)

Chaucer's Tale^t⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: Harrison Shaw⁽⁷⁾| T: M & D Easterby| OR: 60

2/1

Steadily progressive over 7f since early November for a stable in form. Got the better of Jessie Allan by ¾L at Newcastle last week in a 7f apprentices handicap and reappears without a penalty as a result. Stamina to prove.

Form: 92-6321

(4)

Arcadian Sea⁶³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: Josephine Gordon| T: W Jarvis| OR: 58| BF| CD

4/1

Beat Fantasy Gladiator by 1½L when scoring over C&D in late September. Performed with credit from this mark on his next start here in early October despite being a beaten favourite, so has obvious claims.

Form: 333614

(5)

Love Me Again³¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: Daniel Muscutt| T: C Fellowes| OR: 57

16/1

Six race maiden who hasn't shown much since switched to handicapping, and now steps up in trip beyond 1m for the first time, and that looks a highly questionable move based upon her pedigree.

Form: 0-65706

(9)

Venetian Proposal^p¹⁰⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: K T O'Neill| T: Miss Z C Davison| OR: 56

8/1

Won just once in 14 starts, over 1m1f at Lingfield (turf) in July. Reliable enough in her grade, but possibly high enough in the weights on her first start since late August. First start at Chelmsford.

Form: 371833

(7)

Huddersfilly Town^p²¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: P Makin| T: I Furtado| OR: 56| CD

10/3

Seemed to have finally found her trip when off the mark over C&D last month, beating Never Folding by 3L. Given a 6lb rise, but retains the cheek-pieces tonight and looks capable of further improvement.

Form: 705661

(6)

Optima Petamus^p²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 8-11| J: Joey Haynes| T: P Holmes| OR: 50

16/1

Won just once in 23 career starts (over 1m on turf in October 2015). Handicap mark is plummeting, but with good reason. Plenty to do to reverse placings with Huddersfilly Town, and the experiment with a visor is swiftly abandoned.

Form: 887005

(11)

Life Happens^p1³⁰⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 8-11| J: Rob Hornby| T: J G Portman| OR: 52

25/1

Not seen on a racecourse since early February, so presumably she's been tricky to train as there would appear nothing to be gained from resting a filly who had shown precious little form in maidens. Cheek-pieces applied on handicap bow.

Form: 08-6

(8)

Lord Of The Storm⁴⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 8-9| J: L Morris| T: M J Attwater| OR: 48| C| D

20/1

Hasn't won since July 2016 (1m, Chelmsford) but is 15lb lower in the weights now. However, his efforts in 2017 aren't at all inspiring, and he's readily dismissed.

Form: 597488

(3)

Fairy Mist^v¹¹⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 8-7| J: Mitch Godwin⁽³⁾| T: J J Bridger| OR: 45

25/1

Hasn't won since June 2016 (1m, Brighton), so rather unsurprisingly now races from a basement mark of just 42. Impossible to consider at the age of ten given his current form.

Form: 266867

Forecasts

Chaucer's Tale (2/1), Huddersfilly Town (10/3), Arcadian Sea (4/1), Venetian Proposal (8/1), Ceyhan (14/1), Optima Petamus (16/1), Love Me Again (16/1), Lord Of The Storm (20/1), Diana Lady (25/1), Fairy Mist (25/1), Life Happens (25/1)

The potential list of winners is a very short one indeed, with the vast majority of these horses making no appeal whatsoever. Mick Easterby isn't the type of character to look a gift horse in the mouth, and his CHAUCER'S TALE has the feel of a fast improving three-year-old in his own grade. He races without a penalty following a victory at Newcastle last week, and whilst he has stamina to prove, he must surely be expected to stay, as he'd be an almost certain winner in waiting over 7f to 1m. Huddersfilly Town looks the most realistic danger, now that she is finally beginning to fulfil her trainers previously high expectations of her.