6th-May-2015

Trip To Paris is over-priced (in the Chester Cup). Ed Dunlop’s horse had the benefit of two prior runs this season when he won at Ripon last time, but he powered clear and he won with lots in hand. He won it in the style of a seriously progressive horse. And it is reasonable to believe that he is progressive now, just a four-year-old who is maturing.

He does have to shoulder a 3lb penalty today, but the handicapper raised him by 7lb for that win, so he is effectively 4lb well-in today. His draw in stall 11 is a little wider than ideal, but that is not insurmountable, Graham Lee is an intelligent rider who should mitigate the disadvantage at least a little, and a wide draw is not as big a disadvantage on soft ground at Chester as it is on fast ground.

Quick Jack and Zafayan should both run well, but they are fashionable Irish raiders, and they are both shorter than they should be in my book.

TRIP TO PARIS WON (ADV 11/1, SP 10/1)