Horse Racing Picks and Analysis
Tom and Rich take on Chester Racecourse, the oldest racecourse in operation as its origins date back to 1539.
Saturday – May 28, 2022
Race 2: Chester Heritage Festival Fillies’ Handicap
Race 3: tote.co.uk Proud To Support Chester Racecourse Handicap
Race 4: ICM Stellar Sports Handicap
Race 5: British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes
Race 6: Tomahawk Steakhouse Handicap
Chester Racecourse Horse Racing Picks and Commentary
GOING GOOD, Good to firm in places
21 to 1 Tom’s International Tips
Race 2 – 2:35 (9:35a EDT)
Chester Heritage Festival Fillies’ Handicap Cl4 (3yo 0-85) 6f
1 – Princess Shabnam
8 starts 2 wins 1 second
Her 2 wins are at the novice and maiden levels. They got more aggressive with her pulling her against listed and group races and 2 races on the AW (awful) but in the race the horse that ran last won a group 3 on the turf
Drops down to class 4 level which she appears much more suited for
Her turf races at the novice and maiden level been good overall
She’s had no pace to challenge top horses
8 – Esken Rose
2 starts 1 win
Last out she lead in the race, then ridden hard and lost 3rd at the end. Classic case of need a race
Won at 1st asking making all the running. She was sweating in the paddock and going to post, so today it will be interesting to say the least
She’s the front runner and with draw 2 she should get the lead and may well hold on
6 – Russellinthebushes
12 starts 1 win 5 seconds
Last race at Chester was against class 3 and well beaten by 12 1/2L at 40-1
The comment was always raced in the rear, first start of the year and crap race
His only win is at the class 3 level and placings in maiden, novices, class 6, class 4, so he been in many types of races and various levels
Toss last, I can see making a placing here
Race 3 – 3:10 (10:10a EDT)
tote.co.uk Proud To Support Chester Racecourse Handicap Cl3 (4yo+ 0-90) 1m5½f
3 – Wise Eagle
22 starts 8 wins 4 seconds
He ran 5th in his last race showing a little and frankly his last 3 races haven’t been great
So why play? He won on the AW at Newcastle in March in class 4 handicap
He has a good jumper record 2 starts over fences and 1 start over hurdles, his record is 3 starts 1 win 2 seconds
This is a horse that likes distance as proven by his jumping races
He had an entry in a race on 25th but scratched out to run here
He wins going long at so a 1 ½ to 2 miles plus have been his best overall races with at record of 6 starts 4 wins 1 second and a handicap rating of 94
He’s been on the good to soft or soft going and he doesn’t like it but that’s not the case today. The draw 8 is not great but it’s a long race
Longshot but if he likes the tight turns at Chester, I like him for the win
6 – Heart of Soul
35 starts 6 wins 7 seconds 3 thirds
He’s won his last 2 races in class 4 and class 3 level at shorter distances
This race, he has a very inexperienced rider with 7 pound allowance 17 rides 1 win 2 seconds and 5 thirds
If there is a horse for course, he’s it. 23 starts 3 wins 4 seconds 1 third and his run this distance (or there abouts) 20 times with 5 wins 4 seconds 1 third. So horse for course and likes the distance. Going will make it interesting
As of this writing, he is the 2nd choice in the betting
2 – Spirit Mixer
15 starts 4 wins 2 seconds 2 thirds
Winner of the last 2 races with one on good to firm and the other on the AW at distances of 1m5 and 1m6F
He’s been in class 5 to class 2 races with he’s last 2 in class 3 and class 4
The rider is an apprentice getting a 5-pound allowance, he’s ridden him in his last 3 races. He’s going at a 27% win rate of the past 14 days.
He won readily last out siting behind leaders
I am going to try and beat him
Race 4 – 3:45 (10:45a EDT)
ICM Stellar Sports Handicap Cl2 (4yo+ 0-105) 7½f
6 – Fools Rush In
21 starts 6 wins 2 seconds 3 thirds
First start of the season was also first start with new trainer Hugo Palmer and ran a good 4th in same level race class 2 at the same distance
He’s a 6f to 7f racer and should be right there again
He went to the lead last out, push along but kept on but got caught at the end for better placing
3 of his wins are good to good to firm
Gets a jockey change to Stevie Donohue who in the last 14 days in winning at 33% rate 9 starts 3 wins
8 – Oh This Is Us
86 starts 16 wins 12 seconds 12 thirds
Last race was at class 2 level at 1 mile and he ran last of 7
Race before was his best race of the year, running 3rd by 1L where he chased the leaders and kept on for his placing
So why pick? The 2nd to last race was fast and
At Chester, 5 starts 3 wins 1 second 1 third
He’s won stakes races in the past and wins on both AW and turf
If I am reading this right, he like Chester and that 7F distance maybe more to his liking with 18 starts 3 wins 3 seconds 1 third at 7F
Let’s see if the 9-year-old can get it done
5 – Tomfre
26 starts 7 wins 5 seconds 1 third
He ran 2 race in May that he ran 8th and 7th (one race at Chester) but he led for a while in the last race before weakening in the final furlong
In the first race of the year, he was with the leaders for most of the race, pushed at 2F left and weaken in the final furlong.
Both races on good to soft and he’s best races have been on good to firm and very soft to heavy. He should benefit on the good to firm today
Race 5 – 4:20 (11:20a EDT)
British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes (GBB Race) (IRE Incentive Race) Cl2 (2yo) 6f
6 – Self Praise
2 starts 1 second
Raced at Chester last out and ducked right at the start, push about halfway, was 2nd in final furlong but couldn’t get the leader
He’s going to be tough here with the dam has other foal won as a 2 year old
7 – Urban Sprawl
First time starter for the Johnsons and Franny Norton rides a Chester favorite
Dam was group 1 winner in Argentina and produce one other foal who’s won 3 times
Sire was good at 6F and 7F and won a group 2
I may put him on top but I want to see what the odds are before making a final decision
9 – Revisit
First time starter for Richard Hannon
Sire was a top-class sprinter with dam a French Oaks winner and related to Kodiac
The best horse he produced so far is the top miler in his day Kingman
Dam side is not much, the other 2 foal have not won
But, they have this horse entries in some top 2 year old races so they must think they may have a good one, we shall see
Race 6 – 4:55 (11:55a EDT)
Tomahawk Steakhouse Handicap Cl4 (3yo 0-85) 1m2½f
2 – Roudemental
5 starts 1 win 1 second 1 third
Raced in 2 class 4 handicaps with his layoff winning the first start Redcar then running 3rd at Doncaster
Moves from 1 mile to 1 1/16 mile today,
Before his starts, he changed trainers and was gelded and had wind surgery
He trains locally
A little extra ground should be ok and looks the best here for me
4 – Sharp Combo
6 starts 1 win 1 second 1 third
First start of the season with being gelded and change of trainers to Charlie and Mark Johnson
He’s bounced around in races from class 6 to class 1 (dead last in that race to a good Point Lonsdale)
He had at layoff and came back with a 3rd then 2nd before least layoff, he was scratched form a class 2 races at Newmarket for unsuitable ground (soft)
His win in on the AW
Using course specialist Franny Norton in the saddle
If ready, he could win
3 – Kaatibb
4 starts 1 second
3 starts this season, best run was 2nd on the AW at Lingfield
He’s been running at distance of 1 mile or more but on common theme for him has been the going. The AW was standard but the turf going was good to soft or soft
Today he gets a good to firm which helps, I think
They paid $200k for this horse and trained by Simon & Ed Crisford
They bought him here at the tight turns of Chester so they must think he can do well
Watch the odds
Rich’s Ranks
Race 2: Chester Heritage Festival Fillies’ Handicap
8 – Esken Rose
4 – Origintrail
2 – Silken Petlas
1 – Princess Shabnam
Race 3: tote.co.uk Proud To Support Chester Racecourse Handicap
4 – Old Port
2 – Spirit Mixer
6 – Heart of Soul
3 – Wise Eagle
Race 4: ICM Stellar Sports Handicap
8 – Oh This Is Us
6 – Fools Rush In
7 – Boardman
5 – Tomfre
Race 5: British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes
6 – Self Praise
Exacta Box All/6
Race 6: Tomahawk Steakhouse Handicap
2 – Roundemental
1 – Broadspear
6 – Killearn
7 – Brazilian Beach
