Steve Ryder is back with three tips from today's action, with two running at the Chester Festival.
15:15 Chester
Sovrango, Shambo and St Expedit all won this race two years in a row and I am hoping HAMISH (best priced at 2/1) can do the same this year. The William Haggas trained seven-year-old has been lightly raced in his career but has a good strike rate of six wins and four seconds from 14 runs. He won this race on his reappearance last year under Tom Marquand before finishing a close 2nd behind Kyprios in the Irish St Leger on his next start. He won at Ascot in October before finishing only a head behind Max Vega in a Group 3 on his final start last season.
Hamish has to concede 3lbs to Changingoftheguard but is rated 8lbs higher so he is still weighted to win this race. The soft ground should suit him well and I expect him to win this race for the second year in a row.
16:00 Huntingdon
This looks a competitive 0-110 handicap but I am surprised that DENABLE (best priced at 9/1) is currently available at a such a big price. The Anthony Carson trained seven-year-old ended last season in good form with wins at Worcester and Uttoxeter before needing a couple of runs to get going this year. He finished 3rd at Market Rasen off a mark of 101 on his penultimate start before finishing a close 2nd last time at Kempton off a mark of 100.
The handicapper has raised Denable 2lbs up to a mark of 102 but he instead runs here off his previous mark so he is 2lbs “well in” at the weights in this race. Brendan Powell retains the ride and hopefully he can run well with four places available.
16:55 Chester
The Andrew Balding trained SOVEREIGN SPIRIT (best priced at 5/1) runs here under a 6lb penalty but he should hold strong claims of following up his recent Lingfield success. The son of Le Havre has improved this season since a gelding operation and a switch to handicaps with form figures of 5311. His previous two victories have come at Lingfield on the AW off marks of 64 and 70 over 1m4f.
The handicapper has raised Sovereign Spirit 9lbs for his 2 ¾ length success last time but he instead runs here under a 6lb penalty meaning that he is 3lbs “well in” at the weights. Oisin Murphy gets back on board and he should prove hard to beat if handling this return to turf.
