5th-May-2021

This is very competitive, but I think that Uncle Jumbo is shorter than he should be, and that a couple of his rivals are consequently over-priced.

The value in my book is Paws For Thought. Tom Dascombe’s horse has raced exclusively over seven furlongs, but he shows enough pace to suggest that he should be able to cope with the drop down to six.  He may even improve for it. 

He was impressive in winning two nurseries last season, the first one at Chester in September, reaching a rating of 92, before his form tailed off a little at the end of the season.  The handicapper dropped him to a mark of 87, and that makes him interesting on this, his seasonal debut and his first run since being gelded. 

Tom Dascombe’s horses are just starting to run into form, and we know that he loves to have winners at Chester.  And Richard Kingscote rides this track as well as anyone, he has has 23 winners and 24 seconds from 145 rides there in the last five years.

PAWS FOR THOUGHT WON (ADV 13/2, SP 5/1)