THE Easter Weekend is upon us and Chelmsford Racecourse will host an eight-race card on Good Friday to get the four-day weekend underway.
The action kicks off at 1.40pm with a class five handicap over the five furlong trip before the action comes to a close at 5.30pm with a total of £265,000 of prize money up for grabs over the course of the card.
Read below for a preview of the Chelmsford card on Good Friday courtesy of Punters Lounge, who offer the very latest horse racing odds for the Chelmsford card.
The opening contest of the day sees a field of 12 head to the start for the five furlong handicap in class five (1.40). Blue Force is well-drawn here to attack from the off and is taken to complete a hat-trick of wins in his last three starts for the Antony Brittain team, having landed a career best when scoring at Southwell three weeks ago.
A field of ten will take on the maiden stakes in class two to mark the second race on the card (2.15), with a cool £20,936 heading the way of the winner so it is a very valuable maiden contest. The one could go to debutant Christmas Gift, trained by the in-form Andrew Balding, who has had a number of successful newcomers recently and the very eye-catching jockey booking of Ryan Moore only adds to her chances here. Vecu is the clear pick if going on form with two seconds and a fourth on his CV but proved very keen at times last year so needs to settle down if he is to get the better of Christmas Gift.
A division one handicap in class six is the third race on the card (2.50) and this one can go to the Stuart England-trained Sir Maxi, have won over course and distance on his penultimate start and was second at Newcastle last time out, while division two of the same discipline (3.25) sees Triggered rate as the selection, a previous course and distance winner and has been in good form despite going winless in 17 runs.
The George Scott-trained Caballo De Mar looks the way to go in race five (4.00), a winner at Southwell a fortnight ago and is progressing very nicely so a five-timer is certainly in play here.
Race six of the afternoon is the feature race on the card (4.30) as a field of eight will take on the Conditions Stakes in class 2 and a big £39,255 is up for grabs to the winner. Sky Majesty looked every inch the smart type she was bred to be when winning on each of her three starts as a juvenile, most recently scoring in a Group 3 at Chantilly in France for trainer William Haggas and is the clear horse to beat in Essex. Jouncy rates the next best for the Balding team, a winner at Goodwood last Summer and then second in a Kempton Group 3 in September.
A Major Payne was a very good course and distance third on his last spin for trainer Michael Bell so merits serious consideration in the penultimate race of the Good Friday card (5.00) and finally, the meeting comes to a close at 5.30 with a 16-runner handicap in class five and the finale can head the way of Notimeforchitchat for trainer Richard Hughesm who is weighted to well again and follow up a win at Kempton 23 days ago and go in again with top-jockey Moore booked to ride.
Chelmsford selections – Friday (via Sporting Life)
1.40 – Blue Force
2.15 – Christmas Gift
2.50 – Sir Maxi
3.25 – Triggered
4.00 – Caballo De Mar
4.30 – Sky Majesty
5.00 – A Major Payne
5.30 – Notimeforchitchat
