14:55 Chester

Saturday 25 May 2019

All13:4514:2014:5515:3016:0516:4017:15

MBNA Handicap

Off time: 14:56 | Winning time: 1m 34.17s

(4)

Di Fede²³¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: Josephine Gordon| T: R M Beckett| OR: 104

14/1

Talented filly; was recording her fourth career win when posting a career best effort in a 7f Listed contest at Ascot (soft) last October; today's quicker ground isn't a concern; tough task on first competitive appearance for 231 days.

Form: 742851-

(2)

Gabrial¹⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 9-3| J: D Nolan| T: R A Fahey| OR: 100| C| D

20/1

Doesn't win too often nowadays, but did come out best in a barging match with Dolphin Vista at Epsom (1m2f, soft) last August; outclassed in the Group 2 Huxley Stakes here recently; likely to find others with more speed over 7½f.

Form: 560-385

(1)

Crossing The Line³⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 9-3| J: David Probert| T: A M Balding| OR: 100| C

5/2

Her last couple of wins have come on the AW (Chelmsford and Kempton), but she also has a very strong record on turf (4-6) - 8lb higher than when beating Move Swiftly by ¾L at York (Cl 2); should stay 7½f around Chester.

Form: 111-715

(3)

Aces¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 8-12| J: S Donohoe| T: Ian Williams| OR: 95

8/1

Led close home when winning off this mark over 7f at Newmarket (July) last summer; handles most conditions underfoot; on the premises (fourth) behind three of today's rivals over C&D (soft) latest; couldn't be discounted.

Form: 11000-4

(9)

Sha La La La Lee¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 8-10| J: Jane Elliott⁽³⁾| T: Tom Dascombe| OR: 93| CD

8/1

Made all, keeping on well to beat Gabrial The Saint (second), Baraweez (third) and Aces (fourth) over C&D (soft) recently; 3lb higher in the weights so needs a new career best (possible); today's faster ground presents few problems.

Form: 4-21281

(11)

Masham Star⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 8-10| J: S De Sousa| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 93| D

12/1

Talented handicapper who is also very well travelled; holds few secrets from the assessor but won't be found lacking for attitude or application; firmly in the mix when finishing third to Breden in a 1m Class 2 handicap at Newbury last weekend.

Form: 000263

(5)

Baraweez¹⁵

Age: 9| Weight: 8-8| J: Ben Robinson⁽³⁾| T: B Ellison| OR: 91| CD

8/1

Dual C&D winner; 2lb lower than when beating Muntadab by 1¾L in this race last year; finishing well when a close-up third to Sha La La La Lee (Gabrial The Saint second) over C&D 15 days ago; holds fairly obvious claims.

Form: 7780-03

(6)

Kaeso¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 8-7| J: Hollie Doyle| T: N Tinkler| OR: 90| CD

3/1

3lb higher than when winning narrowly over C&D (good) last August; has continued to progress since, making the frame in the 7f Victoria Cup (Cl 2) at Ascot (Blue Mist sixth); fully capable of being positively involved.

Form: 236-923

(8)

Gabrial The Saint¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 8-5| J: A Mullen| T: R A Fahey| OR: 88| C

7/1

Course winner (6f) on handicap debut in May 2018; not disgraced in some competitive races later in the year, but has slipped back to a more lenient mark (88); beaten 1¼L by Sha La La La Lee (Baraweez third, Aces fourth) over C&D latest.

Form: 970-992

(7)

Arcanada^v1⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 8-5| J: Theodore Ladd⁽⁵⁾| T: Tom Dascombe| OR: 88| C| D

20/1

Pacy 7f course winner (June 2016); has struggled for form in more recent times - folded tamely over C&D in September 2018 (finished last of 12); held by Masham Star on Newbury form; visor applied seeking a revival; stablemate of Sha La La La Lee.

Form: 01-5490

Non-Runners

(10)

Escobar⁹

Weight: 9-1| Age: 5

T: D O'Meara J: Shane Gray

(12)

Blue Mist¹⁴

Weight: 8-13| Age: 4

T: H & R Charlton J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Crossing The Line (5/2), Kaeso (3/1), Gabrial The Saint (7/1), Blue Mist (7/1), Sha La La La Lee (8/1), Baraweez (8/1), Aces (8/1), Masham Star (12/1), Di Fede (14/1), Escobar (14/1), Gabrial (20/1), Arcanada (20/1)

An ultra-competitive Class 2 Saturday handicap in which any number of those declared hold realistic claims, including the quartet who clashed over C&D at the May Festival. Tom Dascombe's Sha La La La Lee took that contest from Gabrial The Saint (second), Baraweez (third) and Aces (fourth) but needs to produce yet another career best in order to double up, and there are ample others to consider, namely those involved in the 7f Victoria Cup at Ascot. Blue Mist (sixth) is an interesting lightly-raced runner who has probably been done no favours by his wide draw, so we'll stick with the tough and consistent KAESO instead.