DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
THURSDAY MAY 8
3.05 CHESTER
Taking on Aidan O’Brien is bad enough but when you consider Willie Mullins chimes in with one of his own too, it’s enough to give any trainer the collywobbles.
However, Karl Burke loves nothing more than a challenge and in the shape of AL QAREEM (best price 11-2), the Middleham handler has a horse has the credentials to match his more illustrious rivals.
The six-year-old huffed and puffed when getting the job done at Nottingham last time out but as the ground would have been plenty quick enough, his game effort still deserves a good deal of credit.
Obviously, the six-year-old isn’t going to get much help looking up towards the skies again this afternoon, but according to the jockey reports and the times, the ground has been well maintained.
Good enough to defeat subsequent Arc hero Bluestocking on his first visit to the Roodee, the son of Awtaad made all to make it 2-2 in the same race last season and with fitness on his side, he can give it a good lash from the front in his bid to preserve his 100% record.
AL QAREEM – ½ point win@11-2
4.10 CHESTER
FOURONEFEVER (NAP) (best price 3-1) didn’t offer up much resistance on his first start of the season at Doncaster last month but with that all-important run under his belt, George Boughey’s gelding can make a bold attempt of maintaining his unbeaten record over today’s course.
To be fair, he didn’t get beaten too far on Town Moor and in any case, the race has worked out to suggest it was an above average one for the grade. The likes of City Of Delight, Stressfree and Rathgar went on to fight out the finish of the City & Suburban at Epsom next time, while King’s Code, Have Secret and Asgard’s Captain have all won since.
Better suited by sharp, left-handed tracks, George Boughey’s inmate has really come to life on his previous starts over today’s C&D and with the overnight market very much suggesting a big run is in the offing (5-1 in the early show), it may be wise to follow the cash in direction.
FOURONEFEVER – 1-point win@3-1
7.05 STRATFORD
CHARAPAZ (best price 11-1) went well for nine tenths of the journey at Huntingdon recently until the effects of 543-day hiatus kicked in but with the strong possibility of David Dennis’ inmate being a good deal more reliable on the fitness front this time around, a chance is taken on him playing a more active role in the finish.
Disappointing in four starts over fences back in 2023, the seven-year-old clearly must have had his issues in the interim period but on the evidence of his display at the Cambridgeshire venue last month, he might be capable of making up for lost time.
Still travelling as well as anything turning for home, he fell in a hole from the second last onwards but enough in his performance up to that point to offer up hope for this afternoon and going forward.
CARAPAZ – ½ point win@11-1