THE polytrack action continues at Chelmsford Racecourse on Thursday with a seven-race card in the evening.
The card kicks off at 5.45pm with a mile and a quarter handicap in class five before the meeting comes to an end at 8.45pm with a class six handicap over seven furlongs.
Read below for a preview of the Chelmsford card on Thursday courtesy of Punters Lounge, who offer the latest horse racing betting.
Racing gets underway in Essex at 5.45 with a class five handicap for amateur jockeys over the mile and a quarter trip. Beauld As Brass and jockey Simon Walker could combine for a second success in a little over a week in the opener and will be hard to beat if following up that form. Meadram won a course and distance handicap in March and a 3lb rise in the weights shouldn’t prevent another bold showing to rate as the main danger.
Race two of the evening sees 11 runners go to the stalls for another mile and a quarter contest, this time a novice stakes in class five (6.15). Altareq looks the way to go for the John and Thady Gosden team in this one, sixth on debut at Newmarket just over a fortnight ago and is stepping up in trip here, which should suit. Kurakka is another who should like the further distance too and is next best for the Alan King yard.
It’s Tim looks very hard to oppose in the third race of the evening at Chelmsford (6.45) with George Boughey’s runner having landed comfortable wins around Bath and Brighton in recent weeks and a 5lb penalty shouldn’t be enough to prevent him landing the treble.
Race four is the feature contest of the evening with the Listed Chelmer Fillies’ Stakes and a cool £45,368 heading the way of the winner of the six furlong race (7.15). The Simon and Ed Crisford-trained Arabian Dusk is a big player back at this trip, a previous winner of the Group 2 Duchess Of Cambridge last July and third in the Cheveley Park Stakes on his final start of last season before a tough fourth on seasonal return over seven furlongs in the Nell Gwyn, so dropping down should be much more in wheelhouse. Dual Listed-winner Lady With The Lamp is the main danger, heading over from Ireland having scored at Cork when last seen.
Bishop’s Crown failed to justify market support when making his seasonal return at Kempton last time out but with cheekpieces re-fitted and back down to his last winning mark, is the one to beat in race five at Chelmsford (7.45) while the penultimate race of the evening (8.15) sees Noble Consort get the nod for the Julie Camacho yard, a ready winner of a ten-runner handicap at Southwell last time out and with plenty in hand too.
Finally, the card comes to a close with the class six handicap for three-year-old’s at 8.45, with eight runners set to take it on. Preference in the finale heads to Big Gypsy King, who was well-backed when making a good start for new connections last month when third at Southwell and this drop down in trip may well bring even more out of her.
Chelmsford selections – Thursday (via Sporting Life)
5.45 – Beauld As Brass
6.15 – Altareq
6.45 – It’s Tim
7.15 – Arabian Dusk
7.45 – Bishop’s Crown
8.15 – Noble Consort
8.45 – Big Gypsy King
