2.20pm Chepstow Tips & Betting Preview 05/05/2017

This is a competitive maiden over 1m 2f, see our betting tips and the full race preview below.

IN SUMMARY: Charlie Hills’ runner SCALES OF JUSTICE leaps off the page here. He was sixth of eleven on debut and he finished behind a host of smart horses and he should get off the mark on his second career start with normal progression expected. Prerogative continues to run well but still remains a maiden whilst Belgravian is one of interest at a slightly bigger price with more to come following his racecourse debut.

1 MORNING SEQUEL – Half-sister to Master Burbidge who was a low-grade winner on the flat and over jumps. She makes her racecourse debut today which suggests she’s needed plenty of time to progress and she has to give away plenty of weight here to much better rivals on paper and to those who have fair form in the book. The stable have an 18% strike rate in the past fortnight and she’s best watched here.

2 BELGRAVIAN – Ran a nice race on debut to finish fifth of an eleven-strong field at Redcar. He will have learnt plenty from that experience and this step up in trip to 1m 2f will suit this Pivotal colt whose dam’s sire is Galileo. He’s likely to require slightly further than this in time but he’s worthy of respect today for a yard that have sent out a winner from their last 6 runners. Respected.

3 GEORDIELAD – Well-beaten on racecourse debut to finish eighth of ten, beaten 26 lengths. There’s very little to recommend about him on the back of that form and he races here instead of a prior engagement this weekend. He’s likely to want further than this based on breeding and he has it all to do on level terms with some much more progressive looking types. Opposed today.

4 HIGH WELLS – 28,000GNS purchase making his racecourse debut today. He’s out of a mare that won on just her third start as a 3yo over 6 furlongs and he has an interesting blend of speed and stamina given his sire is High Chaparral. He’s likely to need this initial racecourse experience before becoming threatening although it wouldn’t be the greatest surprise to see him win here for a yard that are capable in maidens. Worth market attention.

5 ILEY BOY – Cheap purchase as a yearling, costing just £3,000 and he’s unlikely to win today. He’s by Delegator whose crop have generally needed time and longer distances before being seen to best effect and it should be a similar case here given his dam was a maiden from 4 starts. The stable have had a winner in the past fortnight but it would be a shock to see their runner win this today.

6 LARAAIB – Nicely-bred son of Pivotal who is a half-brother to two winners over similar trips to this. His dam won a Listed contest and there’s a lot to like about this Hamdan Al Maktoum colt who makes his racecourse debut today. Dane O’Neill is booked to ride and the Owen Burrows yard have been in mixed form of late with one winner from 9 runners. He wouldn’t need to be above average to win this today.

7 PREROGATIVE – Connections persist with this 10-race maiden in this company instead of tackling handicaps. He was a 10-length fifth at Lingfield last time out and whilst he should strip fitter for that seasonal return, he’s now thoroughly exposed to any likely improver. He sets the standard with a rating of 77 and this is a weak looking maiden but you know what you’re getting with him and he’s vulnerable again. Connections step him up in trip to 1m 2f for the first time today.

8 SCALES OF JUSTICE – Once-raced Galileo colt who finished sixth of eleven on racecourse debut at Nottingham last October. The form looks solid with the winner subsequently running in the Derby Trial at Epsom last week and the second and third have recorded victories since. There should be plenty more to come over this longer trip and it would be no surprise to see him head up the betting here for a yard that has a 17% strike rate at Chepstow. Respected.

9 TRISTRAM – Twice-raced gelding for the Richard Hughes stable who has shown ability in two starts to date. The latest of those came in April when beaten 7 lengths over 1m 4f at Lingfield in a similar contest to this where he just failed to take second having stayed on well. It’s a small surprise to see him dropped in trip and he may be better treated in handicap company back over a mile and a half. The yard have sent out 3 winners from their last 23 runners.

10 VOLTURNUS – Second runner in this for Jamie Osborne and he’s out of a mare that placed as a 2yo over 6 furlongs. He gets his stamina from his sire, Azamour, who has produced some lovely staying types that have won huge amounts of prize money. He’s unlikely to be as good as some of those and he may just need this initial racecourse outing but he’s worth a second look in the betting given any support would be significant.

11 MAITRESSE – Seamus Durack also runs two in this and his second runner, a Mastercraftsman filly, is an interesting runner. She increased in value from a yearling to a 2yo and she was purchased for £32,000 by her current trainer and subsequently changed ownership. She will relish this trip although she’s another that may want a mile and a half in time and she’s best watched on the back of that in this today.

12 PONDERING – Ran a nice race on debut at Newbury last October when she finished fifth of 10, beaten just 2 3/4 lengths. It was disappointing that she couldn’t break her maiden tag at the second time of asking in a much weaker maiden than this at Wolverhampton last month when sent off 5/4 and that makes her slightly off putting here. Her stable have an excellent 22% strike rate at Chepstow but their runner has a question to answer here.