17:30 Chelmsford City

Thursday 25 April 2019

All17:3018:0018:3019:0019:3020:0020:3021:00

Bet toteplacepot At totesport.com Handicap

Off time: 17:30 | Winning time: 3m 0.25s

(4)

The Pinto Kid^t¹⁶¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-12| J: George Wood| T: J R Fanshawe| OR: 77

3/1

Record now 2-7 following his latest Kempton success (1m4f) when just doing enough to score. New mark should be within his scope and worth another try at this trip having failed to stay at Nottingham when conditions were soft.

Form: 556211-

(3)

Grandscape²⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: R Havlin| T: E A L Dunlop| OR: 72

10/1

Off the mark in a Class 6 amateurs race on soft ground but has gone well in better company since and both those efforts can be upgraded. Effective from 1m2f-1m6f, but only run on Polytrack was also his worst.

Form: 65214-4

(1)

Houlton^p,t⁴⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: R L Moore| T: M Botti| OR: 71| C

3/1

Course winner over slightly shorter who has shaped well off revised marks since. Dropped in class following latest and Ryan Moore is an interesting booking.

Form: 331-224

(7)

Jumping Cats¹⁷⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: J Mitchell| T: C F Wall| OR: 71| C

5/1

Improved when stepping up in trip last year and scored here over 2m. Unlucky in running in better class last time, but there is no promise of the strong gallop he is likely to need.

Form: 578213-

(5)

Valse Au Taillons⁴⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 9-4| J: David Probert| T: J Farrelly| OR: 68

33/1

French Flat winner in 2016 over 1m2f. Failed to stay 2m here last June and, although she has shown some ability over hurdles this winter, it would take a significant market move to make her worthy of consideration.

Form: 45319/7-

(8)

Press Gang⁴⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 9-4| J: J P Spencer| T: H Fry| OR: 68

16/1

Has proved a dud over hurdles this winter and, although a 12-race Flat maiden, he was first past the post at Newbury in October. Looks a difficult ride but he has C&D form, looks well-weighted, and the jockey booking adds to the interest.

Form: 32/943D-

(9)

Roc Astrale²⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-2| J: Grace McEntee⁽⁷⁾| T: P S McEntee| OR: 66

33/1

Has shown definite signs of ability and has run well over C&D off a much higher mark. Will strip fitter for latest run and has every chance.

Form: 93859-5

(6)

Singing The Blues²³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: Oisin Murphy| T: B R Millman| OR: 67| BF| D

5/2

Rattled off a hat-trick of wins over shorter trips in lower grade before undone by a refusal to settle when stepping up to 2m last time. Did well to finish second under those circumstances and respected under a rider who has won on him previously.

Form: 361112

Non-Runners

(2)

Di's Gift³¹

Weight: 8-5| Age: 10

T: M Appleby J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Singing The Blues (5/2), Houlton (3/1), The Pinto Kid (3/1), Jumping Cats (5/1), Grandscape (10/1), Di's Gift (14/1), Press Gang (16/1), Valse Au Taillons (33/1), Roc Astrale (33/1)

Press Gang and Houlton have strong claims and their respective trainers have engaged top talent to partner their charges, but SINGING THE BLUES has been a revelation this year and lost nothing in defeat last time when tackling 2m for the first time. This intermediate trip looks right up his street and he is taken to score at the expense of The Pinto Kid who has had relatively little racing and had a lot more in hand than the official margin suggested last time. Grandscape has been on the upgrade, but his best efforts have come on turf and he will need to be at his best to defy his present mark.