15:30 Chester

Saturday 25 May 2019

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

Canter Carpet Handicap

Off time: 15:30 | Winning time: 2m 59.11s

(5)

Eddystone Rock¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 9-7| J: Kieren Fox| T: J R Best| OR: 89

4/1

Back in the winners enclosure for the first time since August 2017 when beating Mandalayan by ½L at Leicester (1m4f, good) last month; solid in defeat since (Epsom and Ascot); continuing to inch slowly back up the weights.

Form: 646123

(7)

Jabbaar²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 9-5| J: Jamie Gormley⁽³⁾| T: I Jardine| OR: 87| C

3/1

Chester specialist; was a decisive winner on this card in 2018 (1m4f, good) and has finished third on all three subsequent starts on the Roodeye; possibly just about high enough in the weights, but ran well off a break at Hamilton (third).

Form: 2322-53

(3)

Machine Learner²⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 9-5| J: David Probert| T: J Tuite| OR: 87

12/1

Strong stayer who has some very appealing historical form in the book at places like Sandown, Leopardstown and York; sits on his last winning mark; last of four to odds-on shot Bayshore Freeway on seasonal reappearance at Bath (1m6f, good to firm).

Form: 19574-4

(6)

Claire Underwood²²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-4| J: Connor Murtagh⁽⁵⁾| T: R A Fahey| OR: 86

5/2

Progressive on the AW at Newcastle (1m4f) during the early part of 2019; has carried that improvement back onto turf (now 2-5); 2lb higher than when beating Everything For You by 1¼L at Musselburgh; partnered by Connor Murtagh for the first time.

Form: 1-31231

(1)

Dawn Trouper^t¹⁶⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: Rossa Ryan| T: N J Hawke| OR: 84| BF

12/1

Dawn Approach gelding who was a regular on the Dundalk Polytrack (1m4f-2m) for former trainer Jim Bolger; clearly needs a test of stamina; interesting to monitor the market vibes on debut for Nigel Hawke.

Form: 502122-

(8)

Super Kid^p,t¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 8-8| J: S De Sousa| T: T D Easterby| OR: 76

4/1

Hasn't won on turf since July 2014 (his second start); finished one place in front of Jabbaar when runner up over C&D in September 2018 (soft); very well handicapped, and working back to form with a third placed effort at Thirsk (1m4f) latest.

Form: 468-673

(4)

Ravenous¹²

Age: 8| Weight: 8-7| J: Theodore Ladd⁽⁵⁾| T: L A Dace| OR: 75| C

12/1

Has mixed Flat racing with hurdling since gamely fending off Baydar by a head over an extended 1m6f here (soft) last September; 1lb above that last winning mark; ran better than his fourth placed finish suggests over hurdles at Kempton 12 days ago.

Form: 4110-54

Non-Runners

(2)

Gossip Column¹⁶

Weight: 9-7| Age: 4

T: Ian Williams J: S Donohoe

Forecasts

Claire Underwood (5/2), Jabbaar (3/1), Eddystone Rock (4/1), Super Kid (4/1), Ravenous (12/1), Dawn Trouper (12/1), Machine Learner (12/1), Gossip Column (12/1)

A difficult afternoon for form students continues on the Roodeye with another devilishly tricky handicap. This time it's the turn of the stayers with the progressive Claire Underwood likely to figure towards the top-end of the market. She has continued her excellent AW form back on turf and is just 2lb higher than when winning at Musselburgh. Of the others, Eddystone Rock is in a consistent vein of form, and there are also a number of previous Chester winners who merit consideration, including Jabbaar who was successful on this card in 2018 (5.15pm race). However, the well handicapped SUPER KID (his turn is surely near) gets the value-based nod for Tim Easterby.