12th-May-2023

I thought that Pride Of America should have been clear favourite for this, with the ground in his favour.

Amy Murphy’s horse showed his liking for Chester’s turns too at this meeting last year, when he won a Class 3 handicap over today’s course and distance off a mark of 83.  He is obviously higher in the handicap now, and he is up in grade, into a Class 2 contest, but he has progressed since then, he won on his next run at Haydock on soft ground off a 9lb higher mark, and he was thought good enough to contest a listed race at Saint-Cloud last time.

He should appreciate the drop back into handicap company today, and the soft ground.  He is nicely drawn in stall four, and his forward-going style of racing is well suited to Chester.  He has had a wind operation recently, he could improve for that, and the booking of Hollie Doyle is a positive.

Last year’s winner Baryshnikov is a danger, and I can see Certain Lad running well if he can handle the ground, but Pride Of America is the bet.

PRIDE OF AMERICA WON (ADV 4/1, SP 4/1)