TV TIPS (WEDNESDAY)

13:30 Chester

The start of the season on the Roodee is the Lily Agnes with three unbeaten records going on the line. Star Of Lady M has impressed in two soft ground starts and despatched the promising looking Primrose Ridge and also the reopposing Zephina on debut. My concern would be the forecast better ground today, Ocean Cloud likewise two from two after a couple of trips to Kempton but I’d have concerns about the form and also today’s change of surface. So, of the unbeaten contenders that leaves Absolutelyflawless, who overcame evident greenness to score quite snugly at Southwell. She will have to be sharper from the stall today having been drawn five but hopefully she will be more streetwise today and if she is she can take this.

Hugo Palmer will be one to follow this season at Chester but his runner Glorious Angel has been drawn wide and it would be very good performance to win today from stall seven.

ABSOLUTELYFLAWLESS (WIN)

written by Michael Taylor

14:05 Chester This Class 2 sprint handicap is set to be a very intriguing affair and looks wide open on paper. Live In The Dream stormed to success last time out at Sandown escaping off the front end which can sometimes happen there, especially in the sprints. He’s now 13lb higher here (8lb penalty and also loses the 5lb that Sean Kirrane took off that day) and so he might be vulnerable here on ground that won’t be as quick, although given he should handle Chester. Nymphadora had a good 2yo campaign and she starts life in handicaps on fair terms and she could run a good race, however, she may just need the run first time out as all of her opponents have had a recent run. Novello is the only one of the field to have won at Chester (he also finished second on his only other start here) but he is starting to look a bit exposed now and doesn’t hold many secrets from the handicapper. Hellomydarlin is considered but she doesn’t have a great strike rate despite being the top rated horse here. Shamlaan has been on a sharp upward curve recently and he steps up in class once more this afternoon. His performance last time though gave the impression that there was more to come from him and a 6lb rise may not be enough to stop his charge here today and he’s going to take some stopping here. SHAMLAAN (WIN)

written by Tom Bates

14:40 Chester

Thoughts Of June is Aidan O’Brien’s sole charge in this race, which he’s won on numerous occasions. She’s still a maiden but looked like she benefitted from the step up in trip, on her last start. She was runner up to Above The Curve that day and although she represents top connections, it seems a tall order for her to reverse the placings today.

Night Battle is rather well bred, being related to Group One winner Timepiece and overcame greenest and a slow start to win on her debut at Lingfield. She holds some nice entries and Simon and Ed Crisford are in decent form. Additionally, she’s the mount of dual Guineas winner, James Doyle. She holds some potential but she would have to improve quite a lot, on only her second day at school, to prevail today.

Above The Curve won her second start, when upped in trip, beating the aforementioned Thoughts Of June into second. She’s superbly bred, by American Pharoah and related to the Iron Horse, Giants Causeway, down her Dam’s side. She will enjoy the trip and is the class act today. She holds entries for both Oaks and she stands a good chance at staking her claim for them both today.

ABOVE THE CURVE (WIN)

written by Kieran McHugh

15:10 Chester

Just the four runners scheduled to go to post and on first glance it’s difficult to get away from the Charlie Appleby trained hot favourite New London as the most likely winner of the race given his two career victories to date have been full of promise and seen him installed as the early second favourite for the Derby, however when delving a little deeper it’s also clear that Aidan O’Brien is no stranger to a visit to the winners’ enclosure following this race, having trained seven of the last ten winners. His runner Chainchingoftheguard looked a bit of a work in progress when campaigned over a mile last season but returned with a step up in trip at Dundalk last month and ran out an extremely impressive six-length winner, making all and clearing away from rivals with ease. He will probably need to improve again however the manner of victory suggested this is entirely possible and as such he provides a bit of value against the odds-on favourite.

CHAINCHINGOFTHEGUARD (WIN)

written by Dean Kilbryde

15:40 Chester

Ever Given hardly put a foot wrong at two and won half of his eight races in a fruitful campaign. Admirably tough and consistent, one of his victories was recorded here and he looks the one to beat on paper. Making his seasonal debut today, there is every chance he lacks the scope for as much improvement as a few of the others but he will likely prove fit enough and he is taken to prove good enough from a decent draw.

Pocket The Profit looked one to follow when bolting up at Pontefract on his return, that effort however was rather over-shadowed by a fairly disappointing effort when sent-off favourite at Newmarket the time after and he looks in desperate need of rain. Hailing from the all-conquering Goerge Boughey yard and once again with Moore on top, he is hard to leave out of the equation though from stall seven one would have to see plenty of rain to play.

Auditor showed a fair level of ability on his first two starts before bolting up in a Windsor maiden on good to firm ground. Second when last seen and behind a potentially useful type, he is another to consider although his outside draw makes life very tough.

Russellinthebushes has performed with credit on each of his three starts at this venue and won here in September, off a low weight today, he could go well at rewarding odds though this is a tough starting point. Lucky Man, Selby's Pride and Tolstoy have claims of sorts though Ever Given has achieved more than most and is taken to make a winning start to his three year old campaign.

EVER GIVEN (WIN)

written by Chris Connolly