RACE PREVIEWS & TIPS (THURSDAY)

19:45 Chelmsford Mark Johnston has a plethora of horses in his yard in North Yorkshire but nevertheless to send a horse all the way down to Chelmsford is a mighty task and one I’m sure wouldn’t be undertaken unless the horse he sent had a lively chance. Gold Merlion heads down here for a race where he returns to his preferred trip. The four year olds record on the all-weather is very good with a 33% strike rate to boot. From a top yard with a very capable jockey booked for the ride Gold Merlion has an equally likely chance of getting into the mix. Kohinoor Diamond looks a likely improver and by all accounts is set to put in a good showing here but that’s only if the whispers from the yard are to believed. At a much bigger price Jazri offers a potential chance for those looking for double figure odds. A former course and distance winner who now resides off a very low handicap mark and if returning to the sort of form that put him in the frame previously he may out run his big price. GOLD MERLION (E/W)

21:15 Chelmsford We have a long wait until today’s best bet is set to enter the stalls. The final race from Chelmsford will be the setting for our selection. Whaleweigh Station hasn’t finished better than sixth in his last seven races so a lot is taken on trust that he’ll return to form. That being said he drops down to class seven company for the first time in a while and with a 50% strike rate in this grade he’s bound to find this a much easier task. Six furlongs seems to be his preferred distance, drawn in stall four should also help as will the booking of experienced jockey Franny Norton. With multiple things in his favour he looks worth taking a risk with. The consistent Goadby and Justice Rock should be on the scene once again and it’d be foolish to Discount the bottom weight Miss Uppity with Silvestre De Sousa booked to ride her. WHALEWEIGH STATION (WIN) – NAP