THREE days of racing on The Roodee began yesterday and action gets under way this afternoon at 2.10pm.
The feature race on the card is the Chester Chronicle Rated Stakes (Showcase Handicap) with £25,000 added prize money and run over seven furlongs.
Tesio has not been seen on the racecourse since a dead-heat win over an extended six-furlong trip at Brighton back in May but is an interesting entry from the predominately national hunt yard of Philip Hobbs.
Into The Breeze and Craiova both finished second on their last outings and look worthy of placing on a shortlist before the draw when low number will be a distinct advantage.
Asia Winds will be well supported in the Linpac Group Nursery to score again following a seven-furlong win at Newbury three weeks ago. Rise, trained by Sir Mark Prescott, was held up at Wolverhampton when finishing third on August 8 and looks capable of going close again in this contest.
Trainer Richard Hannon may hold the key to the Shell Chemicals Premier Claiming Stakes with Billy Allen or Old Malt. The former has been consistent all season, finishing second at Nottingham on his last outing. Old Malt won at Brighton on August 6 and, given a preferential low draw, Hannon's declared entry is the selection in the Shell Chemicals Premier Claiming Stakes. Old Malt was also entered in the Nursery.
Racing closes with the Business Link - NWFA Rated Stakes. Itemise finished half a length second in her only start this season at Ripon two weeks ago and may go one closer today if declared by trainer Mark Johnston.
Tomorrow, the six-race card at Chester begins at 2.25pm and is sponsored by betfair.com, where the feature event is a listed race, the Showcase Handicap registered as the Chester Rated Stakes run over one mile five-and-a-half furlongs.
Compton Bolter is the highest rated of the five-day entries, but hung right in his last race at Goodwood. Sun Bird won over two miles two furlongs at the Chester Sunday meeting and put up an admirable performance in the Tote Ebor Handicap at York last week. This may be sharper and preference goes to Prompt Payment, who finished third at Goodwood on her last outing over a similar distance.
The supporting races include a six-furlong Conditions Stakes. Peak To Creek from Jeremy Noseda's yard will be backed to win this event. With consecutive wins to his name before finishing second by three quarters of a length at Ripon on August 16, the colt should hold another entry, Desert Dreamer, who finished in fourth place in that race.
Three Graces was slowly away when beaten by a neck by Able Baker Charlie in his last race at Newbury two weeks ago, before winning at Haydock in a good time. The colt has the ability to win the 20% Better Odds At betfair.com Handicap seven-and-a-half-furlong trip.
