THURSDAY evening sees Chelmsford City Racecourse host a competitive seven-race all-weather Flat card.
The action begins with a one-mile restricted novice stakes at 5.30pm and concludes three hours later at 8.30pm with a Class 4 handicap over the same distance.
Read below to discover the latest tips and a full preview of Chelmsford’s card on Thursday courtesy of Sporting Life
Racing gets underway with a one-mile restricted novice stakes at 5.30 and Port Light already has form to suggest he can win this. Despite just the two runs so far, he ran into Rajeko over course and distance in December when the front two pulled well clear of the third. Rajeko went on to finish second to the 110-rated Al Qudra in the $400,000 Group 2 Al Rayyan Mile earlier this month. Port Light looks like a nice horse and he can win this.
Race two takes place over seven furlongs at 6.00 and Capuchinero could be the one to keep on side. He last won off 62 in July 2024, so his rating of 61 is workable and Oliver Carmichael takes off a valuable seven pounds in the saddle. The six-year-old was once rated 66, though he returned nicely to form at Wolverhampton earlier this month when second to the Tony Carroll-trained Autumn Rose. Although the handicapper gave him a two-pound raise for his last run, he still looks well-handicapped.
The six-furlong Class 6 handicap at 6.30 sees Poetic Jack return to Chelmsford for the third time since December 19th and he has a nice chance to get his head in front. He won nicely at Lingfield at the start of December before running a fine race over course and distance two starts later. He ran into the well-handicapped Cut To The Chase that day who went on to win again. Marco Ghiani returns to the saddle for the first time since that Lingfield success, so he is interesting.
Virtual Hug represents Nikki Evens in race four, a Class 6 one-mile five-and-a-half-furlong handicap, and he has the ability to win. The seven-year-old finished second in a Wolverhampton handicap over one mile and four furlongs in early January, though he’s won and placed over one mile and six furlongs before. This return to a longer trip can encourage his best ability to show and a mark of 51 is very workable.
Race five is a five-furlong 0-58 handicap at 7.30 and So Obsessed could be the one here. He won off 58 and 60 last year when sent off a short-priced favourite on both occasions, though he has yet to win since June 2024. Because of this, he’s dropped to a mark of 56 and he ran a fine race at Wolverhampton earlier this month despite finishing seventh. Hollie Doyle keeps the ride and he’s feasibly handicapped to go well.
David Menuisier has three runners at Chelmsford on Thursday, but his best chance of the night looks like Egoiste in the penultimate one-mile two-furlong handicap. He was well-backed to win at Wolverhampton in March 2024 off 59, so now he has a rating of 61, he could be on a mark that allows him to win again. Rossa Ryan keeps the ride having partnered with him earlier this month, and his draw in six is nice.
The finale at 8.30, a one-mile Class 4 handicap, is the feature event of the night and it could be worth siding with the classy Tempus. Yes, he’s not as good as he used to be, but he was once rated 117 and he finished second in a Newmarket handicap in July 2024 off 94. Therefore, a rating of 84 makes him well-handicapped if he can return to his best, but his two recent runs when third at Wolverhampton and fourth at Newcastle were encouraging. The class edge he has is worth sticking with.
Chelmsford selections – Thursday (via horse racing odds)
5.30 – Port Light
6.00 – Capuchinero
6.30 – Poetic Jack
7.00 – Virtual Hug
7.30 – So Obsessed
8.00 – Egoiste
8.30 – Tempus
