15:40 Chester

Friday 10 May 2024

All13:3014:0514:3515:0515:4016:1516:5017:23

Duke Of Westminster Supporting The Chester Cup (Heritage Handicap)

Off time: 15:41 | Winning time: 3m 59.16s

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Selected odds by:

(15)

Falcon Eight^b³⁹

Age: 9| Weight: 9-12| J: O J Orr| T: D K Weld| OR: 109| CD

22/1

Smart 2m winner who resumed with a below-par sixth in listed race at Saint-Cloud (14.9f, heavy) 39 days ago. No surprise to see him bounce back with that run under his belt.

Form: 8/0621-6

(2)

Magellan Strait^b¹¹²

Age: 5| Weight: 9-4| J: W Buick| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 101

9/1

Useful gelding who bagged Irish Cesarewitch at the Curragh (16.8f, heavy) last September. Returned with odds-on success in small-filed Dundalk event so he's much respected in his hat-trick bid.

Form: 80301-1

(9)

Citizen General^b⁴²

Age: 5| Weight: 8-12| J: C Lee| T: E A L Dunlop| OR: 95

40/1

Resumed winning ways at Kempton (2m) in February but only eleventh of 13 in handicap at Newcastle (16.2f) 42 days ago. Needs to get back on track.

Form: 974-210

(17)

Spirit Mixer^p1³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 8-11| J: Callum Hutchinson⁽³⁾| T: A M Balding| OR: 94| C

33/1

Landed hat-trick in first half of 2022 but seen only sparingly since and below par in 2m AW handicaps both starts this spring. Cheekpieces are now reached for.

Form: 426/7-89

(7)

Emiyn^v1²⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 8-9| J: Zak Wheatley⁽⁵⁾| T: D Carroll| OR: 92| CD

28/1

C&D winner who shaped as if needing the run when eleventh of 14 in handicap at Thirsk (12f, heavy) 20 days ago. Can take a step forward with a visor added.

Form: 71720-0

(10)

Zanndabad^t⁴⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 8-9| J: R Kingscote| T: A J Martin| OR: 92

11/1

Fairly useful on the Flat and over jumps for his current yard, posting a good second in novice hurdle at Ascot (19.3f, good) 47 days ago. No forlorn hope back in this sphere.

Form: 3113-07

(5)

Solent Gateway^t,v1³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 8-9| J: Saffie Osborne| T: H Palmer| OR: 92| C

20/1

Ended 2023 with sound in-frame efforts at Newbury and York but has run poorly both AW outings this spring. Has a bit to prove on back of that with a visor added.

Form: 1943-00

(4)

Aztec Empire²⁴⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 8-9| J: Oisin Murphy| T: A M Balding| OR: 92| BF

4/1

Pair of AW wins early last year and better form on turf thereafter, going close in valuable handicap (16.3f) at York In August. Gelded and returns on a lenient mark so very much one to consider.

Form: 663320-

(11)

Zealandia^p⁹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 8-9| J: Jim Crowley| T: Ian Williams| OR: 92| BF

28/1

Back to winning ways at Newcastle (16.2f) in January only to come in ninth in 2m Kempton handicap since. Needs to bounce back.

Form: 1535-19

(6)

Aqwaam³⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 8-7| J: F Norton| T: Ian Williams| OR: 90| BF

11/1

Posted a career best when winning 2m handicap at Lingfield in March. Not seen to best effect when seventh at Kempton (16f) 34 days ago so he's one for the shortlist.

Form: 3-42217

(1)

Zoffee⁶⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 8-7| J: Harry Davies| T: H Palmer| OR: 90

9/1

Runner-up in this in 2023 and back with Hugo Palmer after a couple of underwhelming hurdling efforts for Olly Murphy. No surprise to see him go well once more.

Form: 4/26080-

(16)

Duke Of Oxford^t⁴²

Age: 4| Weight: 8-7| J: David Egan| T: M L W Bell| OR: 91

12/1

Ended 2023 with a brace of 2m Kempton wins and he recorded another good effort when second of 13 in handicap at Newcastle (16.2f) 42 days ago. Can make his presence felt once more.

Form: 9711-32

(8)

Too Friendly^p⁴⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 8-6| J: S De Sousa| T: James Owen| OR: 89

9/2

Won 3 times over hurdles for current yard last summer and added to his tally back on the level in 2m Kempton handicap in March. Only eighth hurdling at Plumpton since but no forlorn hope.

Form: 21608/1

(3)

Forza Orta²⁰

Age: 6| Weight: 8-6| J: Rowan Scott| T: K A Ryan| OR: 89

9/1

Off 7 months before posting an encouraging seventh of 14 in handicap at Thirsk (12f, heavy) 20 days ago. Significantly up in trip and needs considering.

Form: 77218-7

(14)

The Grand Visir^p,t¹⁵⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 8-6| J: J Fanning| T: Ian Williams| OR: 89

33/1

It's now 25 runs since his last win in 2019 and this veteran came in a well-beaten last of 14 to Duke of Oxford in handicap at Kempton (16f) 156 days ago. Hard to make a case for.

Form: 534700-

(12)

Grand Providence²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 8-6| J: Hayley Turner| T: A M Balding| OR: 90| BF

15/2

Nathaniel filly who scored 3 times in 2023, latest in 2m2f handicap at Newmarket in September. Resumed with a promising third in 2m Newbury handicap so she's firmly in the picture.

Form: 32210-3

Non-Runners

(13)

The Shunter¹⁶⁶

Weight: 9-3| Age: 11

T: E Mullins J: B M Coen

Forecasts

Aztec Empire (4/1), Too Friendly (9/2), The Shunter (7/1), Grand Providence (15/2), Zoffee (9/1), Forza Orta (9/1), Magellan Strait (9/1), Zanndabad (11/1), Aqwaam (11/1), Duke Of Oxford (12/1), Solent Gateway (20/1), Falcon Eight (22/1), Emiyn (28/1), Zealandia (28/1), The Grand Visir (33/1), Spirit Mixer (33/1), Citizen General (40/1)

Emmet Mullins has quickly established himself as a force in big-field handicaps across all spheres and his THE SHUNTER is fancied to return in style having been last seen on the Flat bagging Newmarket's Cesarewitch Handicap. Andrew Balding looks to hold a strong hand and his duo Aztec Empire and Grand Providence both look equipped to go well. Duke of Oxford, Too Friendly and Magellan Strait complete the shortlist in a cracking Chester Cup.