Well Chief's Horse race Preview

Very testing conditions for this handicap today , where12 go to post for this handicap over a stiff galloping 7F. It is likely to fall to a mudlark today, as the mixture of speed and stamina takes its toll.

Starlight Gazer has no problems with either the trip, or the ground today and comes into this race very much in form, having stayed on well to finish 2nd last time at Chepstow. He just failed in his bid to follow up a Newbury win on Heavy ground. Likely to take all the beating today, as he finds himself 2lbs better off at the weights, with a future rise likely to put pay to his handicap chances in the near future. For today, he has to have a very good chance. Several others handle the ground to good effect in this field, so it doesn’t look like it will be all plain sailing for the favourite.

Music Note, under the burden of top weight, isn’t certain to handle these conditions and Gay Kellaway calls upon a claimer to help him. In the soft ground victory at Newmarket, he was gifted the race being unchallenged, and winning in a slow time. This is likely to be tougher, with experienced handicappers taking closer order. Just Dust, another to have experienced tough conditions and not running anything close to his best, is in need of a return to form, while Sailor King & Fisberry are unknown quantities on this surface, having been kept mainly to the quicker Poly track surfaces.

Capricho and Celtic Spa’s actions have been bogged down, when not encountering the top of the ground surfaces and it looks best left to King Harson, Angel Sprints, Material Witness and The Osteopath, as the main threats to the fav. Material Witness has been on the downgrade for some time now, but does handle this surface well and we all know 7F is the required trip for a Bunbury cup winner of the past. His run where he was beaten 5L by Guild Warrior at Warwick, gives him claims with the favourite at the weights today and a stiffer 7F at this stage in career may well suit. Fully exposed, his main challengers are also in the main exposed, so there is reason for hope for this old timer returning to the winning enclosure for the first time in 30 starts. The Osteopath has struggled since winning at Warwick and the rise of 6lbs has suggested it was a poor race where he won, even though the Thirsk effort was potentially a much better effort. He seems to be best when produced by Jamie Spencer, who is a notable absentee today.

Angel Sprints comes here with a lot in favour, having produced a good effort on soft ground at this track back in May. He is well handicapped on old form to give it a good shot here, having ran here twice previously, where both times he shaping well. The man up top today is in flying form at present, recording a win in every 5 rides at present and with her shaping better over 7F these conditions. A trip at a course that suits, could well see her bounce back to winning ways. King Harson may prove the best bet to turn over the fav, as he is very hard to beat under the conditions of the track today. Providing he doesn’t get drawn too much into a battle up front, he should go close today, under Pat Cosgrove, who is a two time winner on this horse. The Leicester straight can be quite tough to make ground up on under these conditions and if ridden well to get the trip from the front, King Harson will take some pegging back and showed signs last time of returning to form for a yard that have an outstanding record in all age handicaps at this very track.

Tissue Prices – Starlight Gazer 3/1, Angel Sprints 6/1, King Harson 7/1, Material Witness, The Osteopath 8/1, Sailor King 12/1, Just Dust, Music Note 14/1, Capricho, Celtic Spa 16/1, Fisberry 20/1, Global Guest 50/1.

Verdict – Conditions play a major part in this race today and there are question marks against a few of these today. The favourite is very much in form, but you don’t get rich taking too many risks on short priced favs under these conditions, when there are 4 others that have solid credentials, on this type of ground. Angel Sprints is well respected in this field and may get back to winning ways, but the 14-1 on offer still with King Harson is well worth a investment in the hope that he settles into a nice gallop up front and has these all struggling in behind come the final 3rd of the race.

Selection – King Harson 2pts win @ 14-1 (BF 16-1)

Well Chief