2021 Chester Day 2 Tips and Preview Dave Stevos
2021 Chester Day 2 Tips
Day 1 wasn’t a total disaster but it could have been a lot better. We landed place money in both the handicaps with First Company and Pivoting. They both finished 2nd, which was frustrating, but it was better than nothing. Sandhurst ran very well too to grab 2nd but unfortunately I got greedy and advised him to win. La Joconde could only manage 4th though and she looks like she might need even further. Let’s hope we can get one home in front on Thursday, have a look at Dave Stevos’ 2021 Chester Day 2 tips and preview for all live ITV races below.
1.45 Chester – 5f handicap (Class 2)
Pivoting ran well for us here on Day 1 and for the same connections, Count D’orsay looks a real contender in this 5f sprint. He is drawn 6 of 10, which isn’t ideal. However, he doesn’t need to lead so once he breaks adequately he should be within striking distance when they turn for home. This 5yo son of Dandy Man has to bounce back from a poor run on his comeback at Musselburgh. The good ground wasn’t ideal for him and he should be much better returned to his favoured softer conditions.
He is in off a mark of 99 today, the same rating off which he was beat a head at Catterick in October. That run came on soft and his last four victories have come when there has been soft in the ground description. This will be his first outing at Chester so he is unproven here but he ran well going round a bend at Fairyhouse more than once when trained in Ireland so he should be absolutely fine. 11/1 looks a generous price and at those odds, Count D’orsay is worth chancing each way.
2021 Chester Day 2 Tips: Count D’orsay e/w @ 11/1
2.15 Chester – Dee Stakes (Listed)
Aidan O’Brien has farmed this 10f Listed heat in recent years. He is on a four timer, he has won it six times since 2012 and eight times in total. O’Brien is not afraid to run some of his top prospects in this contest and previous winners for him include Circus Maximus, Cliffs Of Moher and Magician. This season Ontario gets the nod and Ryan Moore rides.
This Galway maiden winner has proved expensive to follow. In four starts since his Ballybrit win he has failed to get his head in front but he has run some blinders in defeat. His G2 length second to Mac Swiney on soft was a super run. As was his Newmarket G2 2nd behind New Mandate. He shaped nicely on his return at Newmarket and he is a very interesting contender.
Step Up In Trip To Suit Earlswood
At a much more attractive price, Earlswood could go well for Murtagh and Coen. If you just glanced at this fella’s pedigree you probably wouldn’t give him a prayer of staying this far. He is by a very speedy sire in Pivotal but his full brother Making Miracles stayed all day so he is well worth trying at this distance. His running style suggests that the trip will suit too. He stayed on very well to finish 3rd at the Curragh on his final run last term (7f hvy). Murtagh’s charge was only getting into top gear when he crossed the line when winning his maiden on his first start for Johnny Murtagh at Navan.
He quickened really well in the final 50 yards on that very soft ground at Navan. It looked like he was in trouble a furlong from home but the further he went, the better he looked. He is drawn in stall 1 which isn’t perfect but with confirmed front runner Yibir drawn in stall 3, hopefully Ben Coen can get a decent early position just behind him on the rail. If he can find daylight in the home straight, this horse should stay on all the way to the line. At odds of 12/1, Earlswood could cause a mini-surprise.
2021 Chester Day 2 Tips: Earlswood e/w @ 12/1 NAP
2.45 Chester – 7.5f Handicap (Class 2)
Races run over this distance at Chester can often set up for a closer. Making all over nearly a mile is a lot harder than doing so over 5f or 6f. Sometimes, those drawn low do too much too soon and run out of petrol before they hit the winning line. I can see Bravado taking them along early today if Franny Norton gets a good start. He made all when winning at Redcar and Lincoln but those races were over 6f. This trip could stretch his stamina.
One that could go well at a price from stall 2 is Master Zoffany for Hanagan and Fahey. This fella won on his handicap debut at Ripon last season off 74 (8f gd/sft). He couldn’t land a blow off 8lb higher next time at York (8f sft) and that was it for him for the season. The 3yo returned this term off a mark of 80 at Ripon but ran poorly. The ground was probably plenty quick for him and will be fitter for the run.
This horse previous course form in the book. He ran in a good ground novice over C&D and he wasn’t disgraced in 5th, beat just 4L. The conditions today will be much more to his liking and the handicapper has dropped his mark back to 78. That is just 4lb higher than the rating off which he won so handily at Ripon. With ground to suit and stamina assured, Master Zoffany is worth backing each way at odds of 16/1.
2021 Chester Day 2 Tips: Master Zoffany e/w @ 16/1
3.15 Chester – Ormonde Stakes (Group 3)
A trip of 13f awaits eight runners in the feature race of the day, The Ormonde Stakes. With a peak rating of 122, Japan is the class horse in this race. However, he was generally disappointing last season and he needs to prove that he retains his old ability.
Trueshan is his main market rival and he too is rated 118. Alan King’s stable star destroyed the opposition in the Long Distance Cup at Ascot last time out (16f sft). He is versatile trip wise as his other wins last season over 14f and 12f indicate. Soft ground is ideal and this 5yo could be a big player in all the top staying races this season.
Morando hosed up in this race when it was last run in 2019. That was his seasonal reappearance and it is the same situation for him this year. Andrew Balding’s horses are flying and this fella will relish the soft ground. He has 8L to find with Trueshan on their Ascot meeting though and he’ll need to be at his very best to turn that form around today.
Kipps Could Run Big For Morrison
On paper, Kipps has no chance here with a rating of just 93. However, he ran some eye-catching races over 12f last season on easy ground and this trip might really suit him. He was well beat in a G3 on his return at Newbury but the ground was too quick. He may well have needed it too. William Buick keeps the faith and this 4yo son of War Command will enjoy today’s conditions much more than he did the last day. He is a year older and stronger than when well beat behind Euchen Glen last term and if he handles the track, Kipps could sneak into the frame at odds of 28/1.
2021 Chester Day 2 Tips: Kipps e/w @ 28/1
3.45 Chester – 10.5f Handicap (Class 3)
At double figure odds it could be worth siding with Snow Ocean in this handicap. David Evans loves having winners at Chester and this horse is something of a course specialist. He has two wins from two starts over C&D, the last one coming off a mark of 81 on good ground. Conditions were similar for his other win off 74 but this son of Exceed and Excel handles a bit of an ease. He won on good to soft at Goodwood in September and he was beat a length on soft at Nottingham off 85 in October.
Snow Ocean was kept busy over the winter on the all-weather. His last four runs have been poor but his mark has slipped back down to 84 from 90. That is a pound lower than he was for his good Nottingham effort and with James Doyle booked for the ride, a big run must be expected today. His draw in 13 isn’t ideal but hopefully he breaks well and gets across into a decent position. If he does, he is capable of running a huge race at odds of 14/1.
