6.30pm Leicester Tips & Betting Preview 09/05/2017

This is an interesting handicap over 6 furlongs, see our betting tips and the full race preview below.

IN SUMMARY: Clive Cox’s GLOBAL ALEXANDER has shown more than enough in three starts to suggest she can win a handicap off this mark. She’ll be suited by the step back up in trip and there is likely to be more to come in handicap company. Kachess should go well here off the back of her return to action last month in this weaker company whilst Tai Hang Dragon is worth taking on now tackling this shorter trip with a 5lb rise in the weights.

1 KACHESS – Tom Dascombe’s filly returned to form last time out when dropped into a Class 5 handicap. She had been contesting Group company last summer and found life too tougher in a Class 2 handicap at Haydock last September. She should strip fitter here with that seasonal reappearance under her belt and she’s likely to be popular in the betting again off this mark today. Respected off a workable mark.

2 TAI HANG DRAGON – Has recorded two victories since switched to handicaps earlier this year. She has been sent off at 7/1 on both occasions and she’s won by a neck and a head so the handicapper has had to be on the generous side given it’s hard to judge how much she has had in hand. She steps down in trip to 6 furlongs today off a 5lb higher mark so she has some questions to answer and it may just pay to look elsewhere.

3 GLOBAL ALEXANDER – The handicapper has given Clive Cox’s filly a fair rating following three runs in maiden company. She was just denied by an already-raced rival on her racecourse debut when finishing second and she couldn’t get her head in front over an extended 5 furlongs at Bath last time out. She’ll be better suited to this longer trip and she’s a fair price in this off what could be a generous handicap mark.

4 SANTAFIORA – Roger Charlton has been in frightening form of late (6 winners from 11 runners) and he runs an interesting filly here. She won on debut last summer and found life slightly more difficult in much stronger handicaps than this at Salisbury and Goodwood. She’s been dropped 3lbs following her last run and she drops into a fillies’ only handicap here in a weaker grade. There are reasons to suspect she can put in a much better showing today if she’s fit off her winter break.

5 QUENCH DOLLY – 1lb lower than her last winning mark which came over an extended 5 furlongs last August. That was only a three-runner event and she’s struggled since off marks in the high 70’s so it’s no surprise to see her dropped in the handicap and back down to Class 5 company today. Her overall form needs improvement and she’s likely to find one or two of these too good today for a trainer with just 1 winner from 20 runners here.

6 LIMELITE – Well-beaten on her first start in handicap company which came in a big-field sprint over 6 furlongs at Newbury in October. She’s only run on Good or worse ground to date so the Good to Firm conditions are a minor concern but she’s by Dark Angel so it shouldn’t pose too much of an issue. She’s down 2lbs and receives another 3lb allowance with the capable Hollie Doyle in the saddle and she has chances in this if she’s fit off a break.

7 ISLAND CLOUD – Handicap debut today following four runs in maiden company. She finished third of twelve at Kempton in December, beaten just a length and that confirmed that this is her trip although this is significantly harder than that race and a mark of 70 looks stiff enough. The yard have been quiet of late, sending out just one runner which was beaten and she’s probably worth opposing today.

8 THE STALKING MOON – Last seen when beaten 7 1/2 lengths in a similar race to this over C&D. She races on fast ground for the first time since July last year where she finished 9 lengths behind the subsequent 1000 Guineas second Rhododendron. She’s 2lbs lower for that run and she still looks high enough in the weights although she does have some ability and the yard have a 22% strike rate at Leicester. She would be interesting if market support arrived.

9 IN THE SPOTLIGHT – Henry Spiller’s filly has steadily risen through the weights this year with form figures of 213 since arriving at his stable. She’s up in grade today off a 2lb higher mark and she’s probably worth opposing now facing better opponents back on the turf. It was disappointing that she couldn’t get her head in front when sent off the 5/6 favourite at Chelmsford last month and she’s been given a small break since then.

10 CHICAGO STAR – Handicap debut today following some decent enough runs in maiden company. She was beaten 5 1/2 lengths by Acadian Angel in a Pontefract maiden last month and she will have come on plenty for that having looked to have needed the run. She was sent off 5/1 that day and a mark of 67 looks fair today so she’s worth consideration with Tony Hamilton booked to ride.

11 TOUCH ME – Was beaten 3 1/4 lengths by Tai Hang Dragon last month over 7 furlongs at Lingfield. She drops down in trip to 6 furlongs for the first time today and that’s a small cause for concern having looked more suited to the 7 furlong trip. The hood remains on and she’s down another pound so she receives plenty of weight from her rivals today. The percentage call is to oppose her in this competitive looking handicap.