19:10 Chester

Saturday 13 July 2024

All16:2016:5517:3018:0518:3519:10

Craig Charles DJ Set Handicap

Off time: 19:10 | Winning time: 1m 3.79s

(7)

Dickieburd¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-0| J: Mia Nicholls⁽⁵⁾| T: Craig Lidster| OR: 78| BF| CD

10/11

C&D winner. Twelve runs since last win in 2023. Creditable second of 6 in handicap at this course (5.5f, good to soft, 2/1) 1 day ago. Not taken lightly.

Form: 250252

(6)

Count D'Orsay^p⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 9-7| J: Connor Murtagh| T: T D Easterby| OR: 71| CD

11/1

C&D winner who comes here on a losing run is mounting up but he ran best race of the season when second at Hamilton (5f) early on last month. Not at very best when sixth of 8 in handicap at Ayr (5f, good to firm) 6 days ago. Yard very much amongst the winners, though.

Form: 004206

(2)

Ecclesiastical³⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 9-7| J: Jason Hart| T: T Davidson| OR: 71| CD

11/2

C&D winner. Resurgent upon joining this yard, gaining a fourth victory of 2023 at Wolverhampton (6f) in November. However, went backwards from reappearance effort when ninth of 10 in handicap at Catterick (5f, good to firm) 35 days ago. Handy draw in stall 2 if he can bounce back.

Form: 3219-59

(1)

Catch Cunningham^h⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-5| J: Harry Burns⁽³⁾| T: M Herrington| OR: 69| D

6/1

Has tumbled down the weights and belatedly took advantage in 7-runner Leicester handicap (5f) in June. Backed that up when a staying on second at Nottingham latest and he should go well again in this groove operating from stall 1.

Form: 588512

(9)

King Of Tonga^b²⁸

Age: 8| Weight: 9-5| J: Zak Wheatley⁽³⁾| T: D Carroll| OR: 69| CD

14/1

C&D winner. Latest win at Catterick in May. Respectable fifth of 10 in handicap at this course (6.1f, heavy, 17/2) 28 days ago, no extra final 1f. Another with a tricky draw to contend with here.

Form: 414245

(3)

The Defiant^p,t²⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 9-0| J: S D Bowen⁽³⁾| T: L A Dace| OR: 64| D

20/1

Winner at Chelmsford (5f) in March and returned to form when second of 4 in Brighton handicap (5.3f, good to firm) 25 days ago. Finds himself handily drawn in stall 3 to blaze a trail again.

Form: 535682

(5)

Kitaab¹⁰⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 9-0| J: A Elliott| T: P A Kirby| OR: 64| BF

25/1

Shed maiden tag at Southwell in February and finished runner-up on 3 of his 4 starts since, again hanging left before keeping on second at Chelmsford (7f) in March. Has switched yards subsequently but he's clearly not the most straightforward.

Form: 612722

(4)

Apache Star⁴⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-0| J: Edward Greatrex| T: D M Loughnane| OR: 64

14/1

Tasted success twice at Bath (at 5.7f) last summer but not operating at the same level earlier this season, eighth of 11 in handicap at Carlisle (5f, good to soft) 44 days ago. Others more persuasive.

Form: 22-2678

Non-Runners

(10)

Grace Angel³⁷

Weight: 10-1| Age: 4

T: Darryll Holland J: Jason Watson

(8)

Love Wars²¹

Weight: 9-9| Age: 3

T: J & S Quinn J: Jason Hart

Forecasts

Dickieburd (10/11), Love Wars (4/1), Ecclesiastical (11/2), Catch Cunningham (6/1), Count D'Orsay (11/1), Grace Angel (12/1), King Of Tonga (14/1), Apache Star (14/1), The Defiant (20/1), Kitaab (25/1)

The only 3-y-o in the line-up LOVE WARS stepped up markedly on her comeback run and may well have made a winning handicap debut with a clearer run through at Haydock 21 days ago. Easily the least exposed, she's very much of interest and gets the vote to confirm the promise of that effort and come out on top. Dickieburd, if taking up this engagement, and Catch Cunningham are others to consider. The Defiant would also be dangerous if allowed his own way on the front end.