WHILE plenty of attention is focused on the Cheltenham Festival, there is still racing action elsewhere across the country including at Chelmsford on Thursday evening.
The action kicks off at 5.05pm with a seven furlong amateur jockeys’ handicap in class six before the card comes to a close at 8.15pm when seven runners take on the mile handicap in class five.
Read below for a full preview of the Chelmsford card courtesy of Sporting Life.
The opening contest of the evening gets underway at 5.05pm as a field of 11 take on the class six handicap for amateur jockeys. Lots with chances and it could be worth siding with Archie Watson’s new recruit Kurimu to capitalise on a handy-looking mark with this step up in trip also looking a plus. Course and distance scorer Kondratiev Wave heads the list of dangers with Sir Maxi, Safari Dream and Amaysmont all in the mix too.
A field of ten will tackle the fillies’ novice stakes to mark race two on the card (5.45). Ed Walker’s No Nay Never filly Champagne On Ice made a promising start when runner-up at Kempton and can build on it to get off the mark at the chief expense of Wonderbolt who shaped really well when a debut Wolverhampton sixth and rates a big threat. C&D scorer Hey Boo has to concede 7 lb all round but is still firmly in the picture too.
Southbank can race off a 1lb lower mark than when a good recent third over course and distance so is taken to bag a fourth C&D victory on Thursday in race three (6.15). Course scorer Just Ten High is feared most, with Brunel Charm appealing as the pick of the rest for minor honours.
A small field of five will take on the five furlong handicap sprint in class four at 6.45, race four on the card and the vote goes to El Bufalo, who responded well to the first-time blinkers when making every post a winning one over C&D recently and this 4lb higher mark should be comfortably within reach. The Stuart Williams-trained duo Diomed Spirit and Existent can fill the places.
Penzance left the impression that his turn is near when fourth at Lingfield recently and he can emerge on top in race five (7.15), while the penultimate race of the evening (7.45) can head to Time Tested is unexposed over this trip and he could be the answer on the back of a creditable fourth dropped to a mile at Newcastle where the steady pace wouldn’t have been ideal.
Finally, the card comes to a close at 8.15 and despite it looking a trappy contest over the mile trip in class five, the suggestion is Stella Hogan can get the job done, who has done nothing wrong in her four appearances since the turn of the year and she looked better than ever when striking over seven furlongs here on Saturday.
Chelmsford selections – via Punters Lounge
5.05 – Kurimu
5.45 – Champagne On Ice
6.15 – Southbank
6.45 – El Bufalo
7.15 – Penzance
7.45 – Time Tested
8.15 – Stella Hogan
