4.00pm Leicester Tips & Betting Preview 07/08/2016

The feature race on Sunday’s Leicester card is a 6f handicap for 3yos. Read our horse-by-horse race preview for our experts’ betting tips.

IN SUMMARY: The least exposed, and perhaps most interesting, runner is Toriano, who is unbeaten after two 7f starts on Polytrack and has significant potential to make progress. However, he encounters a new trip and surface here and preference is for VIBRANT CHORDS, who ran very well off today’s mark in a big field at Ascot a month ago and will probably find this less competitive. Mustallib has been treated quite sternly by the handicapper for last month’s AW win and a bigger threat to the other two market principals might come from Highly Sprung, who flopped at Glorious Goodwood but was in good form beforehand.

1 Madrinho – Showed some very useful form as a 2yo and finished second off a mark 3lb higher than today’s over C&D (good to firm) in May; good chance on that evidence but been unable to land a significant blow in two valuable event since then and, although in calmer waters here, others have more appealing profiles.

2 Vibrant Chords – Yet to add to his 2yo maiden win but bounced back from a disappointing AW run and ran a big race when fourth of 18 at Ascot (6f, good to firm) last month; will play a significant role if matching that performance off the same mark today.

3 Mustallib – Two wins from first four starts, the more recent on AW debut at Newcastle (6f) a fortnight ago; will be fine back on turf but prevailed only by a head on that occasion and subsequent 6lb rise seems rather stiff.

4 Appleton – Made winning debut for Richard Fahey last summer and subsequently ran with credit in a very valuable sales race but cut little ice (albeit on soft ground) when reappearance for new stable in 5f Chester handicap in June; might need a few more outings before he’s of interest again; visor now added.

5 Toriano – Began career with two 7f Polytrack wins in spring (maiden/handicap); back from 82-day break today and needs to prove he’s suited by 6f on turf, but got the job done very readily on his more recent outing and could easily have a lot more to offer; respected.

6 Art Collection – Won twice as a 2yo but hasn’t been firing on all cylinders this year and never looked dangerous when remote second of five over 5f at Sandown on latest outing; continues to edge down the weights and might fare better now back over 6f and with blinkers refitted, but still makes only limited appeal.

7 Florenza – Delivered on earlier promise when winning Doncaster maiden (6f, good) in June, her seventh start, but went up 7lb for that and last month’s handicap run at Newmarket, though perfectly respectable, did nothing to allay fears that she’s now too high in the weights.

8 Highly Sprung – Finished last of 19 when dropped to 5f at Glorious Goodwood recently but was in good form over 6f beforehand, most notably when finishing well to gain narrow-margin success in Pontefract classified in June; can bounce back and give a good account here.

myracing Forecast Prices: 9/4 Toriano, 7/2 Vibrant Chords, Mustallib, 10/1 Madrinho, Appleton, Highly Sprung, 14/1 Art Collection, Florenza