16:10 Chester

Friday 9 May 2025

All13:3014:0514:3515:0515:4016:1016:45

Xenon Workplace Apprentice Handicap (GBBPlus Race)

Off time: 16:10 | Winning time: 2m 37.88s

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Selected odds by:

(4)

Sportingsilvermine²⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 9-12| J: Mason Paetel⁽⁷⁾| T: James Owen| OR: 78| D

7/4

Irish import who, like many before him, has benefited from joining the James Owen yard, making it 2-2 for new connections when scoring in pretty good style at Musselburgh (12.5f, good). 5 lb rise is by no means prohibitive and another bold show may well be on the way.

Form: 7369-11

(2)

Small Fry¹⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-12| J: Ashley Lewis⁽⁷⁾| T: G & J Moore| OR: 78| C| D

13/8

Evidently well-suited to sharp, left-handed tracks, scoring at Lingfield (AW) and Epsom last summer prior to notching third success of 2024 over 14.4f at this track in September. Shaped well under Ashley Lewis back at Epsom (1½m, good to firm) on recent reappearance and he's a key player down 2 lb.

Form: 21122-3

(6)

Marhaba Million³¹⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-11| J: Kaiya Fraser| T: Anthony Charlton| OR: 77

40/1

Progressive form in maidens for Owen Burrows last spring but ran no sort of a race in a first-time visor on handicap debut at Newbury when last seen in June (gelded since). Headgear discarded starting out for new connections here and the market will likely prove insightful regarding expectations.

Form: 9326-

(11)

Reel Rosie^p⁸¹

Age: 6| Weight: 9-10| J: Warren Fentiman⁽³⁾| T: J Candlish| OR: 76| C

25/1

Latest success on the Flat was gained here for Hugo Palmer off 2 lb higher in September 2023. Opened account for this yard over hurdles during the winter but safely held on latest start in February and she was also beaten a fair way when last seen in this sphere back in October.

Form: 9196/26-

(10)

Miaswell^t²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: Aiden Brookes| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 75

66/1

Cemented excellent start to life in handicaps when doubling tally for David O'Meara at Haydock last summer. However, his form progressively nosedived thereafter and he hasn't pulled up any trees in 4 subsequent runs over hurdles for his new yard.

Form: 131470-

(7)

Obsidian Knight²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 9-9| J: Grace McEntee| T: T Kent| OR: 75| D

18/1

Something of an all-weather specialist and particularly effective at Lingfield where he registered his fifth success in a 1½m handicap 3 weeks ago. Hard to quibble with a 3 lb rise but he's winless following 11 attempts on turf and may again come up short away from polytrack.

Form: 6-92611

(8)

Woodstock City¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-9| J: Andrew Breslin| T: Ian Williams| OR: 75

25/1

Bagged first win on these shores off this mark at Ripon (1½m, good to firm) last summer. He hasn't threated since, though, and the percentage call is to look elsewhere.

Form: 91655-7

(3)

Oman^b¹⁷¹

Age: 7| Weight: 9-8| J: Zak Wheatley| T: A W Carroll| OR: 74| CD

11/1

Made winning reappearance over this C&D last term and added to his tally with a 6-length success at Yarmouth (1¼m, soft) in October. Not so good final start of 2024 campaign but he evidently goes well fresh and boasts several pieces of solid form round here, so there are reasons to be optimistic.

Form: 237717-

(12)

Lusaka¹⁷²

Age: 7| Weight: 9-7| J: Elizabeth Gale⁽⁷⁾| T: J L Flint| OR: 73| D

40/1

Returned to form from out of the blue when thumping his rivals from the front at Nottingham last summer, but it was otherwise a low-key 2024 campaign and his record when fresh doesn't augur well.

Form: 088615-

(5)

Tokyo Bay²⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: Jack Nicholls⁽⁷⁾| T: K R Burke| OR: 72| D

7/1

Winner in maiden company on reappearance at Ripon in April 2024, but it's been a struggle since and he was nearer last than first in the Musselburgh handicap won by Sportingsilvermine last month.

Form: 4/1467-8

(14)

Model Approach^b¹⁴⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: O McSweeney| T: A Keatley| OR: 72

20/1

Performed with credit on first 2 starts in handicap company for previous connections in Ireland last season and won twice over hurdles for this yard during the autumn. However, he was disappointing on latest start in that sphere in December and he's opposable back on the level.

Form: 55924-

(1)

Giselles Defence^p¹³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-4| J: Ryan Kavanagh⁽⁵⁾| T: Ian Williams| OR: 70

20/1

Three-time winner last season but it's all been downhill (in this sphere and over hurdles) since latest success at Newbury in July.

Form: 05670-7

Non-Runners

(13)

Shahbaz²¹

Weight: 9-9| Age: 5

T: Ian Williams J: Non Runner

(9)

The Dancing Poet⁸

Weight: 9-5| Age: 9

T: B Ellison J: Shay Farmer

Forecasts

Small Fry (13/8), Sportingsilvermine (7/4), Tokyo Bay (7/1), Shahbaz (10/1), Oman (11/1), Obsidian Knight (18/1), Giselles Defence (20/1), Model Approach (20/1), The Dancing Poet (20/1), Woodstock City (25/1), Reel Rosie (25/1), Marhaba Million (40/1), Lusaka (40/1), Miaswell (66/1)

While cases can be made for several of these, the most likely scenario is that SPORTINGSILVERMINE will complete the hat-trick. Indeed, the handicapper has been rather magnanimous in raising the 4-y-o just 5 lb for his decisive Musselburgh success and he could have more to offer for his new yard. Small Fry is greatly respected on the back of his encouraging reappearance at Epsom and he is second choice Another who could have a part to play is Oman.