AFTER a bit of a break from the all-weather action after a busy few months, racing returns to Chelmsford on Thursday evening with a nine-race card under the lights.
The action gets underway at 4.10pm with a class six handicap on the polytrack before the card rounds off four hours later at 8.10pm as 12 runners tackle a division two handicap over the mile trip.
Read below to discover the latest tips and a full meeting preview of Chelmsford’s card on Thursday courtesy of Sporting Life.
The opening contest of the Chelmsford card sees a field of 12 take on the one mile and two furlong handicap in class six (4.10). It could be worth chancing Ocean Odyssey in the opener for the Gary and Josh Moore team, having caught the eye at Kempton last time out when finishing midfield at odds of 16/1. Forever Proud heads the list of dangers, a respectable third of 11 in a Newcastle handicap 38 days ago and is stepping back up in trip here to a distance that suits.
The powerful Godolphin yard sends Jolly Jack Tar to Chelmsford for race two of the evening (4.40) and the three-year-old is fancied to make a bold bid in the one mile and two furlong novice stakes returning from an absence of nine months, last seen when winning with plenty in hand at Lingfield. Fellow Godolphin runner By The Book is the chief threat, a son of Frankel that looked a good prospect when winning a novice contest at Haydock but will have to overcome a huge 18-month absence on his return here.
Plenty are in with chances in the ten-runner class four handicap over five furlongs which marks race three (5.10) but last time out winner Lipsink could be the way to go for trainer Mick Appleby, successful at this track previously and scored at Wolverhampton just under three weeks ago with something up his sleeve and a 5lb hike in the weights might not be enough to stop him following up.
William Walton caught the eye on his qualifying run at Southwell and this brother to top-class Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Waldgeist could belatedly get off the mark in race four in Essex (5.40) on handicap debut. Of his rivals, the main threat can come from course winner Dashing Partner, successful here 26 days ago and overcoming a slow start in the process.
hA class five handicap over five furlongs marks race five of the evening (6.10) and 13 runners will head to the stalls to take it on. Preference heads the way of Lion Ring for the Andrew Martin team, a four-time course winner, the latest over course and distance in October and was a respectable fifth of ten last time out at Lingfield to represent a return to form. Hiatus heads up the dangers, a good fourth at Lingfield just over a fortnight ago making late headway and is currently running 2lb below his last winning mark.
Ultramine looks the one to beat in the sixth race on the card (6.40), with three wins this year and a creditable second over course and distance three weeks ago, while race seven (7.10) can go the way of four-time course and distance winner Thomas Equinas, despite midfiring last time out here but is better judged on his previous efforts at Chelmsford.
Division one of the class six handicap marks the penultimate race on the card (7.40) over a mile and the Tony Carroll-trained Kondratien Wave is the clear one to beat with four wins this year and this race is weaker than the one last time out he was in, finishing third at Lingfield. Molly Valentine is taken to fill the second spot, without a win in 12 starts but a creditable fifth last time out at Lingfield.
Finally, the card comes to a close with a division two contest in the same discipline as the penultimate race at 8.10, with preference in the finale heading the way of Empress Of Hope for trainer Harry Eustace, a thrice-raced maiden that was third of seven in a Southwell novice last time out and appeals the type to improve not pitched into handicaps for the first time.
Chelmsford selections – Thursday
4.10 – Ocean Odyssey
4.40 – Jolly Jack Tar
5.10 – Lipsink
5.40 – William Walton
6.10 – Lion Ring
6.40 – Ultramarine
7.10 – Thomas Equinas
7.40 – Kondratien Wave
8.10 – Empress Of Hope
