15:40 Chester

Saturday 20 September 2025

All13:5514:3015:0515:4016:1516:4517:20

Racing Welfare Handicap

Off time: 15:43 | Winning time: 1m 11.57s

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Selected odds by:

(6)

Ventura Express³⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 10-2| J: Aiden Brookes⁽³⁾| T: P T Midgley| OR: 82| D

14/1

In good form with a second at Beverley before finishing third of 6 in handicap at Pontefract (4/1) 34 days ago, staying on after making headway late. Ought to remain competitive.

Form: 400223

(5)

Paws For Thought⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 9-8| J: Charlie Maggs⁽⁵⁾| T: D McCain Jnr| OR: 74| CD

9/4

Five-time course winner who is down to a very handy mark and ran one of this season's better races when third of 11 in course handicap (7.6f,15/2) last week, leading until headed late. Could return to winning ways.

Form: 989273

(7)

Ran Amok^t¹²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-8| J: Joe Leavy| T: H Palmer| OR: 76| D

12/1

Won at Doncaster (14/1) in July after breathing operation but finished only seventh of 12 in handicap at Windsor (10/1) 12 days ago when keen and one-paced. Form remains inconsistent.

Form: 90-7917

(2)

Secret Mistral¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 9-6| J: Molly Gunn⁽⁵⁾| T: A W Carroll| OR: 72| D

15/2

Won a 5f handicap at Haydock in July and finished third at Chester soon after. Sixth of 14 in handicap at Haydock Park (8/1) 15 days ago, getting little peace up front which told late in the day. Usually races prominently and should be fine back at 6f.

Form: 621306

(1)

Ay Gee Ell^t²⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: J Garritty| T: R A Fahey| OR: 74

16/1

Best form at 5f with two seconds, finished seventh of 12 in handicap at Ripon (25/1) 25 days ago when diving right and weakening 2f out. Yet to win in eight starts and others hold stronger claims.

Form: 527287

(9)

Fuji Mountain^t²⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: Zak Wheatley⁽³⁾| T: D Carroll| OR: 74| CD

18/1

Two-time Chester winner but seven runs without success, finishing last of 10 in 5f handicap at Beverley (25/1) with tongue strap 27 days ago. Return to this track needs to spark a revival.

Form: 677060

(8)

Keep Warm^v⁴²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: D Swift| T: M & D Easterby| OR: 68| D

18/1

Showed good form in summer, including a third of 12 and fourth of 11 before finishing fifth of 8 in handicap at Ayr (7/2) 42 days ago where good form came to a halt. Drops back in trip.

Form: 3-84435

(3)

Hyperfocus^p¹⁵

Age: 11| Weight: 9-1| J: Harry Russell| T: T D Easterby| OR: 67| CD

10/1

Tenth of 14 in handicap at Haydock (22/1) 15 days ago, continuing trend of poor form this season. Others more persuasive.

Form: 5-80000

(4)

Count D'Orsay^p⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 9-0| J: Sean Kirrane| T: T D Easterby| OR: 66| CD

15/8

Course specialist with 3 wins at Chester, including this corresponding event from a 7 lb higher mark last year. Fourth of 10 in handicap here over 6f (16/1) 8 days ago, hampered early but made headway from 2f out and stayed on well. One to consider from reduced mark.

Form: 766084

Non-Runners

(10)

Star Chorus²¹

Weight: 9-7| Age: 3

T: A M Balding J: Callum Hutchinson

Forecasts

Count D'Orsay (15/8), Paws For Thought (9/4), Secret Mistral (15/2), Hyperfocus (10/1), Star Chorus (10/1), Ran Amok (12/1), Ventura Express (14/1), Ay Gee Ell (16/1), Fuji Mountain (18/1), Keep Warm (18/1)

Course-specialist PAWS FOR THOUGHT is a stone lower in the weights than at the start of the campaign and looks ready to strike having run well in a similar level here last week, despite making his effort earlier than ideal. Count D'Orsay is another who goes well at this track (won the corresponding event 12 months earlier) and showed better signs than for a while from a career-low mark here 8 days ago, while Secret Mistral and Ventura Express are others to note.