SOME of racing’s most well-known connections are sending runners to Chelmsford City Racecourse on Thursday evening for their seven-race Flat card.
The action gets underway at 5.30pm with a competitive eight-runner Class 6 seven-furlong handicap before the raceday wraps up three hours later at 8.30pm with nine runners contesting the one-mile Class 6 handicap.
Read below to discover the latest tips and a full preview of Chelmsford’s card on Thursday courtesy of Racing TV, who offer the latest Cheltenham free bets offers ahead of the Festival in March.
https://www.sportinglife.com/racing/tips-centre
The opening seven-furlong handicap (5.30) looks like a tight affair, but Lord Danielson could be the one to side with here as he looked good when winning at this course over six furlongs earlier this month. Connections have campaigned him well to avoid penalties for his two successes this month, and while a revised mark of 52 is on the steep side, returning to seven furlongs can encourage improvement.
Race two (6.00) is run over six furlongs and is the only novice race on the card. Preference goes to the well-bred Rescue Mission for Andrew Balding, David Probert, and owners Cheveley Park Stud. The three-year-old Kodiac filly is a half-sister to the Group 2 winner Priceless and 2006 Mill Reef Stakes runner-up Helene Brilliant. Both of those siblings were precocious types, so she has the ability to perform well on her debut.
13 runners will contest the Class 6 six-furlong classified stakes at 6.30 and Heartrate looks like a good option. It’s not too long ago since he finished a good third at Wolverhampton from stall 12 off 56 in handicap company, so this step back into a classified stakes should be easier. Stall nine won’t be the easiest, but this is a winnable race and Jonny Peate takes over from the five-pound claimer Tilly Evans.
Trainer Tony Carroll is leading the way in 2025 so far, and he has a great chance to land the five-furlong Class 5 handicap at 7.00 with Secret Mistral. Carroll has saddled 18 winners so far this year, nine clear of his nearest pursuers, and his five-year-old mare by Pearl Secret is well-handicapped to follow up from her win at Wolverhampton two starts ago. Having run well off marks in the low 70s last year, a rating of 67 is workable and she can put her speed to good use.
Sunny Time, Kameko Spirit, La Mer Grise, and The Magic Turtle all took on each other at Lingfield earlier this month, and Sunny Time can uphold that form in the five-furlong Class 6 handicap for three-year-olds at (7.30). The gelding by Without Parole won by a cosy length under Dylan Hogan earlier this year and the handicapper has given him a five-pound hike for the success. However, he is unexposed in handicap company at this level and five extra pounds wouldn’t have stopped him last time out.
The feature race of the evening is a one-mile two-furlong Class 4 handicap at 8.00, and Urban Sprawl has the class to take this contest. The Charlie Johnston-trained five-year-old was a regular in Class 3 company in 2023 off higher marks than he runs off now, so this quality of race is fine for him. Archie Young takes a valuable five pounds away from his official rating of 79, so he should be well-handicapped, and he’s run with plenty of credit so far this year.
In the finale at 8.30, a one-mile Class 6 handicap, United Force could be one to bounce back from a poor run at Kempton earlier this month. He was a decent three-year-old for Archie Watson, but since being sold to his new connections, he’s won three times for trainer Clare Hobson and the Forces Unite Partnership. He won quite nicely at Southwell two starts ago and is rated just three pounds higher, so he can play a part under David Probert.
Chelmsford City selections – Thursday (via Sporting Life)
5.30 – Lord Danielson
6.00 – Rescue Mission
6.30 – Heartrate
7.00 – Secret Mistral
7.30 – Sunny Time
8.00 – Urban Sprawl
8.30 – United Force
