2.35pm - Halliwell Jones Handicap
The draw at Chester is definitely a key point to keep in mind this week for the Chester meeting, and given the fact Never So Brave has been given draw 3, that is enough for me to side with him on Thursday.
He was lightly raced as a two-ywar-old, but he did come 2nd to Ancient Wisdom (since a Group 1 winner and Derby hopeful) only beaten by a little under 2 lengths at Newmarket that day, before going on to then place 2nd once again, this time behind another Group 1 winner in Vandeek.
Never So Brave was dropped down to 6 furlongs that day, which most likely wouldn't have suited, although he was only beaten by three quarters of a length in the end, keeping on in the closing stages, so the step back up in trip to 7 furlongs and beyond was inevitable going forward.
The son of No Nay Never was a ready winner of a maiden contest last time out at Thirsk, with the 2nd placed horse finishing 4 lengths in behind that day, where the Sir Michael Stoute runner was a very comfortable winner indeed.
His opening handicap mark of 94 could be a little high given the fact he has only had three previous runs, but the form of his only two runs as a 2yo last season suggests there could be plenty more to come from him as the season progresses.
I do believe this could be a black-type horse running in a handicap on Thursday. Ryan Moore has been booked up to ride, and although the Sir Michael Stoute horses have not been running that well recently, if there is anyone who can fire them a winner, then it's Ryan.
- Selection - Never So Brave (11/10)
3.05pm - Listed Boodles Raindance Dee Stakes
Although just five runners head to post for this Listed race on Thursday afternoon, it looks to be a decent little contest, where all five of the runners have won or been running well recently, and the first four in the market are all pretty close on ratings.
However, I think God's Window (who I added into my horses to follow for Tipstrr) could be the best horse to come out of this race, now that he has had the pipe-opener for the season.
The John & Thady Gosden horses are really starting to pick up now as they operate at a 27% win strike rate for the last 14 days (with 10 winners in 37 runners), which is always a very good thing to see so early on into the season before they unleash their stars.
Their runner in the Dee Stakes on Thursday, God's Window, was a nice winner on debut at Doncaster, before rattling home nicely when stepping up in class and trip in the Group 1 Futrutiy Stakes at Doncaster, only beaten by 2 lengths in the end to some more experienced rivals. He then lined up in a novice contest at Nottingham last time where he did what he had to and won with absolute ease by 8 lengths but was sent off the 1/14 odds on favourite that day, so it was more than expected to happen.
The fact that connections pitched this horse into Group 1 company on just his 2nd ever run speaks volumes in terms of what they think of him, as John Gosden is not one to rush a horse into the deep end.
Now upped in class once again, I think there could be plenty more to come from this horse, who is around the 25/1 mark for the Derby next month. Unless he absolutely bolts up in this (which could be possible) then I don't see his price changing much for the Derby, but it might be worth keeping an eye on as we edge ever closer to the feature Classic of the season at Epsom.
God's Window is rated 111 currently, and gets a very handy 3lbs off his main market rival Jayarebe who was a nice winner of the Feilden last time. There is plenty more to come from the Gosden horse, and now he has the cobwebs blown away with that easy track canter last time, he looks hard to beat in this.
- Selection - God's Window (2/1)
3.40pm - Group 3 tote.co.uk Supporting Racing Ormonde Stakes
It’s a slight shame we don't get to see Hamish, who has won this contest the previous two years running, but he did have a relatively hard race at Newbury last time so has to be campaigned sparingly, and I say it is a shame as I think he would have won this once again landing the hattrick.
However, he is not lining up, and therefore I think Point Lonsdale is the one I shall be siding with here to land this feature contest at Chester on Thursday. Arrest will most likely be the market leader heading into it, as he was a pretty decent winner of the Group 3 Chester Vase at this venue last season, but he was too disappointing last time out to really fancy here.
We have seen previously that Aidan O'Brien's runners do well when stepping up in trip - just take a look at Broome who won the Dubai World cup a season or so back. Point Lonsdale takes the step up to 1m5f for the very first time here on Thursday, which should be no issue for the son of Australia.
As mentioned he landed the Group 2 Huxley Stakes at this meeting last season, and was then pretty much pitched into Group 1 company from there onwards. He was a big-priced runner in the Dubai Sheema Classic last time, but did run very well to claim 6th place, only beaten by a little under 6 lengths in the end, which was an almighty effort and shows there is still fire in the belly of this horse.
Dropping down in class here and coming out of stall 4 at a track he won at previously, I can see him handling this step up in trip nicely and winning at Chester once again. He might not win this in terrific fashion, like the Huxley Stakes last year where he just did one enough to win, but he is a real game type who will appreciate these conditions.
Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore have won this twice since 2014 (Japan back in 2021 and Idaho back in 2018), and this is a meeting at which the pairing tends to excel.
- Selection - Point Lonsdale (15/8)
All prices are from Planet Sport Bet and are subject to change
All previews and tips provided by @ Jake Russell