20:30 Chester

Friday 30 June 2023

All17:4018:1518:5019:2520:0020:3021:00

Expleo Handicap

Off time: 20:30 | Winning time: 2m 12.27s

1^st

(1)

Balance Play

39-7

7/4f

T: R M BeckettJ: H Crouch

Made all, clear when ridden over 1f out, stayed on strongly, unchallenged tchd 11/5

2^nd

(4)

Razoni

39-4

11/1

T: G BougheyJ: Jason Watson

Tracked leaders on inside, angled out and went 2nd turning in, stayed on all the way to the line but not pace to challenge op 12/1

3^rd

1 ¾

(6)

Theme Park

39-11

5/1

T: N TinklerJ: Rowan Scott

Held up in 5th, plugged on in 3rd inside final furlong, never going pace to reach leaders op 9/2 tchd 11/2

4^th

(7)

Lil' Frank

39-3

13/2

T: R VarianJ: J Mitchell

Prominent, went 2nd after 1f until pushed along over 3f out, chased leaders and wide home turn, edged left and no impression inside final furlong op 8/1

5^th

4 ½

(5)

Mandega

39-1

80/1

T: Micky HammondJ: Aiden Brookes (5)

Tracked leader for 1f, tracked leaders, pushed along inside final 3f, soon lost place op 40/1 tchd 33/1

6^th

2 ½

(3)

Noodle Mission

39-3

14/1

T: M L W BellJ: D Tudhope

Held up off the pace in last pair, rapid headway out wide chasing winner over 3f out, pushed along and lost 2nd turning in, weakened soon after op 9/1 tchd 15/2 and 16/1

7^th

4 ½

(8)

Tajawal

39-9

9/4

T: S & E CrisfordJ: Harry Davies (3)

Slowly into stride, pushed along early in rear, never involved op 11/4

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Non-Runners

(2)

Gordon Grey²⁶

Weight: 8-9| Age: 3

T: Ian Williams J: Shane Gray

Betting Breakdown

Tote Win:£2.75Pl:£1.40, £3.80EX:£16.50Trifecta:£55.50Tricast:£81.45SF:£21.61Swingers:£3.30, £2.00, £6.40

Forecasts

Balance Play (7/4), Tajawal (9/4), Theme Park (5/1), Lil' Frank (13/2), Razoni (11/1), Noodle Mission (14/1), Gordon Grey (25/1), Mandega (80/1)

TAJAWAL shaped well amidst greenness when third at Wolverhampton on his seasonal comeback and he's since got off the mark in comfortable fashion at Ayr. A bigger performance is expected and he's preferred to Balance Play, who arrives on the back of a solid showing at Epsom. Gordon Grey is another likely improver on his first go in handicaps.

TAJAWAL (IRE)
BALANCE PLAY (IRE)
GORDON GREY (IRE)

Previous Winners

2022

Box To Box

Weight: 9-5 |Age: 3

J: Cieren Fallon | T: H Palmer

6/4

Prize Money

1st: £6,115.002nd: £2,867.003rd: £1,435.004th: £716.005th: £359.006th: £178.007th: £90.008th: £44.00