THE final meeting of 2024 at Chelmsford Racecourse takes place at the Essex track on Thursday with a belting nine-race offering.
The action kicks off at 4.10pm with a class six nursery contest over the sharp five furlongs before the meeting comes to an end four hours later with a 14-runner handicap in class six over six furlongs.
Read below to discover the latest tips and a full preview of Chelmsford’s card on Thursday courtesy of Racing TV free bet offers.
The opening contest of the afternoon kicks the meeting off at 4.10 as a field of 11 tackle the five furlong sprint nursery in class six for two-year-old’s. Blue Lakota landed a career best for trainer Kevin Ryan when scoring at Newcastle a week ago and a bold bid is expected here to follow up despite carrying a penalty. Trainer Mick Appleby has a good record with new recruits and he sends Mister Coco Fizz to Chelmsford, picked up for a modest 3000 Guineas by his new trainer and isn’t taken lightly on debut for this new team.
Another race for the two-year-old’s marks the second race of the afternoon (4.40) with a six furlong novice stakes. Sunlit Uplands for trainer Rae Guest looks the one to beat here, a well-backed second at this track 49 days ago and finishing strongly then, so is entitled to improve further for that run. Preanka, trained by Alice Haynes, won a 13-runner maiden at Windsor on debut in July before flopping at Ripon in a Listed contest last time out but back in calmer waters, should relish this test.
Crest Of Light left his previous form behind when runner-up on nursery bow at Southwell nine days ago and is taken to go one better in race three at Chelmsford (5.10) for trainer Kevin Philippart De Foy, while race four (5.40) can go the way of Rajeko for the Michael bell team, eased in class here having finished eighth of 11 in the Acomb Stakes at York when last seen but was a winner prior to that at Windsor on debut.
Division one of the class six handicap over a mile is the fifth race on the card (6.10) and the vote here goes to Reel Power, a third at Kempton last time out having been off for 13 months prior to that and makes plenty of appeal heading to Essex off the same mark, while in division two of the same discipline (6.40) can go to low-mileage four-year-old Dubai Harbour, a winner last time out at Lingfield and defying a wide stall draw so is taken to go in again off a 2lb hike in the weights.
Six runners will head to the stalls for the seven furlong handicap in class two at 7.10 worth £13,085 to the winner and that could be Alzahiur, a winner at Leicester back in October that roared back to form when third of 14 in a Southwell contest five days ago so providing this doesn’t come too soon, could land the feature contest of the evening.
The penultimate race of 2024 at Chelmsford is up next at 7.40 where Carlton is taken to land the spoils on his second start for the in-form trainer James Owen having won over course and distance a week ago on yard debut, while the finale of the evening (8.10) can go the way of Poetic Jack, a previous course winner that landed a career-best when scoring at Lingfield just over a fortnight ago and can defy a 4lb hike in the weights here to follow up.
Chelmsford selections – Thursday
4.10 – Blue Lakota
4.40 – Sunlit Uplands
5.10 – Crest Of Light
5.40 – Rajeko
6.10 – Reel Power
6.40 – Dubai Harbour
7.10 – Alzahuir
7.40 – Carlton
8.10 – Poetic Jack
