As Chester prepares to stage its biggest race of the year in the Chester Cup, both Architect Tips and Steve Ryder feel like they’ve found each-way value.
Chester 15:15
Architect Tips
This high-class staying handicap is a race that National Hunt yards tend to target and traditionally do well in, taking four of the last 11 renewals.
When looking at this race, the first thing I like to look at is those with course experience and IT’S GOOD TO LAUGH (best price 22/1), trained by Jennie Candlish, fits that criteria.
In an ideal world, a lower draw instead of 15 would have been preferred but he’s clearly been aimed at this prestigious event and having been touched off over 1m3f here back in July last year, he duly went one better when stepped up to 1m4f off top-weight. He’s since been campaigned over hurdles, winning three of his five starts, and ran well when fifth in a Grade Two last time.
The five-year-old ticks a lot of the main trends for this race with the exception of the draw and if Connor Beasley can get him into a nice slot from his wide-berth, his stamina and class might well see him involved in the latter stages of this event being only a four-pound higher mark than when last seen in this sphere which was successful.
I’ll also be having a few quid each-way on Ian Williams’ HALIPHON (best price 20/1) who sneaks in at the bottom of the weights. His trainer has a good record in this event and this unexposed youngster caught the eye under today’s rider in the Betway Queen's Cup back in April when a staying-on sixth under tentative handling.
He wasn’t seen to best effect in a muddling sedate pace at Ripon last time when only fourth but, again, he stayed on strongly in the closing stages to only be beaten a few lengths and has additionally been left on the same mark here which is ideal as the lower weighted runners are always worth a second look.
He’s drawn well in stall eight, remains open to improvement as a stayer and if getting a required strong pace, he could be finishing strongly late on which might be enough to see him reach the frame or potentially cause a mini upset at massive odds.
Steve Ryder
Hugo Palmer provided Michael Owen and Manor House Stables with an impressive winner at Chester on Wednesday and he will be hoping to provide his new boss with the Chester Cup this year.
He runs the progressive four-year-old SOLENT GATEWAY (best priced at 9/2) who looks to have a lot going for him in this contest. He has good form at Chester including an impressive victory in August over 2 miles and he was eye-catching on his return at Epsom last month.
| Horse | Best Price | Worst Price |
|---|---|---|
| Solent Gateway | 9/2 | 7/2 |
| Falcon Eight | 5/1 | 9/2 |
| Coltrane | 13/2 | 11/2 |
| Cleveland | 13/2 | 9/2 |
| Arcadian Sunrise | 9/1 | 7/1 |
| Metier | 10/1 | 10/1 |
| Rajinsky | 11/1 | 10/1 |
| Nate The Great | 12/1 | 11/1 |
| Land Of Winter | 14/1 | 12/1 |
| Morph Speed | 18/1 | 14/1 |
| Haliphon | 20/1 | 16/1 |
| Reshoun | 20/1 | 16/1 |
| The Grand Visir | 22/1 | 16/1 |
| It's Good To Laugh | 22/1 | 18/1 |
| Torcello | 33/1 | 25/1 |
| Byron Flyer | 50/1 | 33/1 |
| Solo Saxophone | 50/1 | 33/1 |
*Odds accurate as of 14:00 on 05/05/2022
Solent Gateway was only beaten ½ length when 3rd that day and he races here off only a 1lb higher mark. The soft ground is a slight question mark as he was disappointing on heavy ground at Newbury in October but I will take a chance on him back at Chester in a race which looks an obvious early season target for connections.
