THE latest in Chelmsford’s series of Thursday night fixtures under the lights takes place this week with another eight-race card.
The action gets underway as usual at 5pm with a maiden fillies’ stakes in class five before the card rounds off at 8.30pm as 14 runners take on the one mile and two furlong class six handicap.
Read below to discover the latest tips and a full preview of Chelmsford’s card on Thursday courtesy of Sporting Life.
The opening contest of the evening kicks things off with a seven furlong handicap in class five and a large field of 15 are set for the off (5.00). Magic Glow showed plenty of ability when runner up on debut for trainer James Tate before bombing out at Wolverhampton on her last start but a repeat of that debut, from a handy draw here, should see the two-year-old get off the winning mark with top jockey Rossa Ryan booked to ride. Mrs Dowley rates the main threat here hailing from the Michael Bell yard, tackling seven furlongs for the first time having shaped well when third on debut at Wolverhampton earlier this week.
Race two on the card is a six runner novice stakes in class five, again over the seven furlong trip around Chelmsford (5.30). Needlepoint for the Amy Murphy team looks the one to beat, a winner of a seven-runner maiden at Chantilly when making her debut a whopping 17 months ago but can defy that long absence to go in again as a very useful-looking type. The progressive Space Trooper rates the next best, a career-best second at Newcastle last time out in a four-runner novice contest.
The lightly-raced Arctic Dawn is the selection for race three of Chelmsford’s card on Thursday (6.00), returning from eight months off with a good third at Doncaster 19 days ago on heavy ground and heads back to the synthetic surface where is very much respected. Riot arrives on the back of a solid run at Wolverhampton last time out and is a three-time course and distance winner here so warrants respect – he also won this race 12 months ago for trainer David O’Meara.
Stormy Lady should up her game now dropped into lower grade company as 11 runners head to the start for the class six nursery handicap (6.30) having finished eight of 13 last time out at enormous odds of 200/1 for trainer Alan King, who has got aforementioned jockey Ryan booked to ride. Manara can give her the most to think about, a thrice-raced maiden who is worth a second look stepping significantly up in trip in a lower grade contest.
The drop back in distance should suit the returning Elterwater in race five on the Chelmsford card (7.00) and could be hard to peg back if ridden prominently over a much more suitable trip, while race six on the card (7.30) can go the way of Flying Fletcher for the Richard Fahey team, a promising type that landed a career best when winning a seven-runner handicap at Newcastle last week.
The penultimate race of Thursday’s card is an 11-runner handicap in class six (8.00) where the Darryll Holland-trained Suanni, a previous course and distance winner, has been handed an excellent draw and can turn the tables over the re-opposing War Zone, who beat Suanni when last seen at this track a fortnight ago.
Finally, the card comes to a close with the mile and a half handicap in class six at 8.30, with preference in the finale heading the way of Global Resolve, who has dropped to a good mark considering his previous form and with new headgear applied. Semester was unlucky last time out and is without a win in 15 runs but was a close second at this track 42 days ago and could be the type to go one better.
Chelmsford selections – Thursday
5.00 – Magic Glow
5.30 – Needlepoint
6.00 – Arctic Dawn
6.30 – Stormy Lady
7.00 – Elterwater
7.30 – Flying Fletcher
8.00 – Suanni
8.30 – Global Resolve
