16:50 Chester

Friday 7 May 2021

All13:4514:1514:4515:1515:4516:2016:50

Racing Welfare Supporting Racing's Workforce Apprentice Handicap

Off time: 16:53 | Winning time: 2m 45.47s

(3)

Heart Of Soul^p²²²

Age: 6| Weight: 9-10| J: Ben Sanderson| T: Ian Williams| OR: 83| CD

6/1

Better than ever last year, scoring at Hamilton and here before excellent second over C&D on penultimate start. Not so good on final outing down in trip but he's warrants plenty of respect on return.

Form: 521128-

(6)

Carlos Felix²⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-10| J: Thore Hammer-Hansen| T: P A Kirby| OR: 83| D

10/1

Winner at Ascot last July but failed to cut much ice in a pair of hurdle starts for Dan Skelton this year, tailed-off after a wind op at Aintree 29 days ago. Market check advised on yard debut.

Form: 3/41752-

(7)

Kaser⁸⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 9-5| J: Laura Pearson⁽³⁾| T: D Loughnane| OR: 78

18/1

Good record at Wolverhampton but hasn't fired for a while and looks opposable back on turf despite the excellent Laura Pearson on board.

Form: 6909-57

(5)

Potenza²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-4| J: Theodore Ladd| T: Harry Eustace| OR: 77

85/40

Ran to a fair level on both starts over hurdles earlier this year and finished a creditable third at Lingfield from lower all-weather mark last month, just doing too much too soon. Leading player.

Form: 51552-3

(1)

Elham Valley^t²³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-1| J: Saffie Osborne⁽⁵⁾| T: F O'Brien| OR: 74

2/1

Fairly useful performer for Andrew Balding and upped his game markedly when third in Fred Winter at Cheltenham in March. Not seen to best effect there last month but he's respected back on Flat.

Form: 465165-

(4)

Socially Shady¹³

Age: 4| Weight: 8-13| J: Sophie Clements⁽⁷⁾| T: K R Burke| OR: 72| D

25/1

Two wins from 5 runs last year but having been off the track for 9 months, has show little on a pair of all-weather starts recently. Has plenty of work to do to feature.

Form: 3114-78

(9)

G For Gabrial⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 8-5| J: Andrew Breslin⁽³⁾| T: R A Fahey| OR: 60| D

8/1

Already a 3-time winner this year, latest in 7-runner handicap at Beverley last month. Slightly disappointing 5 days ago at Hamilton given he was well positioned but should run his race.

Form: 731314

(8)

Red Derek¹⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 8-5| J: Erika Parkinson⁽⁷⁾| T: L Williamson| OR: 55

16/1

Modest maiden who could hardly of shown much less when tailed-off on fibresand debut 17 days ago. Very hard to see him featuring from out of the weights.

Form: 23446-8

Non-Runners

(2)

Richard R H B¹⁰¹

Weight: 8-11| Age: 4

T: D Loughnane J: O McSweeney

Forecasts

Elham Valley (2/1), Potenza (85/40), Heart Of Soul (6/1), G For Gabrial (8/1), Carlos Felix (10/1), Richard R H B (10/1), Red Derek (16/1), Kaser (18/1), Socially Shady (25/1)

A few in with a squeak here but a chance is taken on POTENZA, who did a bit too much too soon on his return to the Flat at Lingfield last month but was competitve from this sort of mark towards the back end of the turf season last year. Heart of Soul landed this contest in 2019 and he's taken to chase the selection home on reappearance, ahead of stable-switcher Carlos Felix.