14:40 Chester

Saturday 15 September 2018

All13:3014:0514:4015:1515:5516:3017:05

32Red Stand Cup Stakes (Listed)

Off time: 14:42 | Winning time: 2m 44.14s

(2)

Blakeney Point^b,t1²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-3| J: T E Whelan| T: H & R Charlton| OR: 105| C| D

9/2

Midfield finish when favourite for the Chester Cup in May 2017, but has progressed since then and is a soft ground proven stayer; 6L fifth of 20 in the Ebor at York (1m6f) latest and that sets a fair standard; tongue-tie added to blinkers.

Form: 11-D545

(4)

Gabrial¹⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 9-3| J: P Hanagan| T: R A Fahey| OR: 107| C

12/1

Snapped a lengthy win-less sequence when edging out Dolphin Vista in a barging match at Epsom last month (1m2f, soft); back up in trip with relatively little in the way of proven form over 1m4f (albeit; fourth of seven in this race in 2014).

Form: 320361

(8)

Hochfeld⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: F Norton| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 103| CD

7/2

Hasn't managed to force his head to the front just yet in 2018 (4-20 career), but was beaten a mere neck by Duretto over 1m6½f here recently, Stamina plentiful, and as a two-time Chester winner (1m4½f-1m6½f) must make any shortlist.

Form: 493424

(1)

Sir Chauvelin²²

Age: 6| Weight: 9-3| J: Alistair Rawlinson| T: J S Goldie| OR: 106| D

5/1

Delivered on a splendid day for the Goldie stable at Glorious Goodwood (1m6f, gd/firm), due reward for some sterling efforts at Royal Ascot (second) and in the Northumberland Plate (third); outclassed in a Group 2 latest after missing the Ebor cut.

Form: 230716

(7)

Mistress Quickly⁴²

Age: 4| Weight: 8-12| J: K Stott| T: R M Beckett| OR: 92| D

8/1

Won twice on good to soft in 2017 (1m4f-1m5½f), but has built up a portfolio of frustrating second placed handicap efforts this season; has plenty on her plate in this Listed contest on these terms.

Form: 563222

(6)

Mountain Bell²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 8-12| J: Harry Bentley| T: R M Beckett| OR: 100| CD

5/1

Neck winner of this race on good to soft ground in 2016 (beat Desert Encounter), and hasn't seen a massive amount of racing since (just the eight starts); well beaten in the Ebor latest (17th of 20), but handles cut well and should be competitive.

Form: 41-5630

(5)

Zarrar^b,t⁴¹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-9| J: Hollie Doyle| T: B G Powell| OR: 54| D

100/1

Just the sole win so far, over 1m4f on the AW at Lingfield in May (Class 6 handicap); has an official rating of 54, so holds no realistic chance whatsoever against these rivals and is firmly out of place in the line-up.

Form: 641338

(3)

Shailene⁵⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 8-4| J: M Dwyer| T: A M Balding| OR: 94

7/2

Most effective over 1m2f on the AW (1,2,1), and wasn't ever any match for the authoritative Glasgow Stakes winner Raymond Tusk at Hamilton (1m3f) in July (finished 4+L third); fourth of ten in the Cheshire Oaks (1m3f+) on sole other turf start.

Form: 14213

Forecasts

Hochfeld (7/2), Shailene (7/2), Blakeney Point (9/2), Mountain Bell (5/1), Sir Chauvelin (5/1), Mistress Quickly (8/1), Gabrial (12/1), Zarrar (100/1)

A compact field. Blakeney Point has the tongue-tie added to the blinkers which he sported when finishing a close up fifth to Muntahaa in the Ebor at York. He has a previous Chester win on his CV, as does the mare Mountain Bell - a narrow winner of this race on similar ground in 2016. She's not seen masses of racing since, but should prove more competitive than in the Ebor (17th of 20) with the ground back in her favour. However, HOCHFELD is the tentative pick. Yet to score outside of handicap company and barren so far in 2018, but there can be no denying that his record at this track (1,1,2) stands up to close scrutiny, and that promises to count for plenty.