6.55pm Chelmsford Tips & Betting Preview 10/05/2017

This is a decent handicap over a mile, see our betting tips and the full race preview below.

IN SUMMARY: This is an interesting handicap and a vote goes to STORM CRY. She should improve for her second start of the season and the step up in trip combined with an easier grade could see her come in front at a decent price. Illaunmore is worth taking on with something to find on form with some of these whilst better is expected of Salamah as she drops in grade although she looks high enough in the handicap.

1 RAVEN’S LADY (Non-Runner) – Finished second of seven over a mile at Kempton last month which was a good effort off a seasonal break. She likes to be ridden prominently so stall 10 makes slightly more difficult and Andrea Atzeni will have to use up plenty of energy to get to the front. She’s on a fair mark and this is a slight drop in grade so she certainly has a chance and there could be more to come making her second start of the season. Chances.

2 STORM CRY – Sole victory came in a maiden at Ripon last August where she hacked up by 6 lengths. She’s found life more difficult since entered into handicap company and she remains on a mark of 84 which she was beaten 7 1/4 lengths off last month at Newmarket. She drops in grade here and steps up in trip to a mile which should suit and she should improve for her first run off a break so there about of positives about her at a bigger price. Interesting.

3 CHEVAL BLANCHE (Non-Runner) – Two victories from three starts since returning to action, now tackling longer trips. She arrives here on the back of a 3 1/2 length win at Salisbury last month in a similar handicap to today’s and given she only has to carry a 6lb penalty, she could be well in. Stall 11 is another unfortunate draw but she’s versatile in terms of tactics and Lulu Stanford’s 5lb claim continues to aid her chances a lot. Likely to be popular here now back up in trip.

4 FLYING NORTH – Makes her seasonal reappearance today following some fair form last season. She won a Class 4 maiden at Ascot in September before going on to finish second, beaten a length in a 7 furlong Newmarket handicap. She’ll appreciate this step back up in trip to a mile and stall 1 is ideal for her given she can make all and it’ll be interesting to see how she’s ridden today for Richard Hannon.

5 ILLAUNMORE – Only beaten 2 lengths by a smart sort in Son Of The Stars at Chelmsford over C&D last month. John Gosden’s filly was highly-tried last year having run in a Listed contest at Newmarket and she will find this easier off a mark of 82. She has something to find on form with a few of these and it may pay to look elsewhere with some nice fillies in opposition.

6 TEXTURED – Landed a small surprise at Newcastle last year when winning a 7 furlong handicap by a short head having been sent off 20/1. She’s been raised 5lbs in the handicap and takes a step up in trip here so she has some questions to answer although she gets the assistance of Ryan Moore in the saddle and she should be fit off a break. She steps up in trip to a mile which looks about as far as she wants to go and she may be worth opposing here today.

7 PEPITA – Third runner in this for Richard Hannon and his Sir Prancealot filly finished 3 3/4 lengths behind Cheval Blanche last time out. She remains on a mark of 80 today and although better off at the weights with that rival, she may struggle to reverse the form having been comfortably beaten. That form could turn out to be some of the smartest in this race so she’s certainly not without a chance but she looks slightly more exposed than some of her rivals today.

8 PAVILLON – Won a Class 5 maiden at Kempton in November on her racecourse debut. That was a smart performance and there should be plenty more to come off an opening handicap mark of 79 on just her second career start. The second went on to win a maiden but was then well-beaten off a mark of 77 so this mark looks high enough but Clive Cox has been operating at a 22% strike rate in the past fortnight and she is open to any amount of improvement.

9 RELY ON ME – Broke her maiden tag at the second time of asking at Doncaster, running out a 1 1/4 length victor. She displayed a huge amount of improvement from her first to second start to win that day and she steps up in trip today from 6 furlongs to a mile. Andrew Balding has a good strike rate of 14% at Chelmsford but his runners haven’t been running that well of late and she may struggle off a mark of 77. Others make more appeal.

10 SALAMAH – Simon Crisford is without a winner from his last 10 runners and he runs a Shamardal filly here. She was comfortably held off a one pound higher mark at Newmarket last September and whilst that was a stronger contest, she didn’t look particularly well-treated and she may find this mark slightly on the stiff side. The step up in trip is a positive and Silvestre De Sousa is a positive booking but others have more attractive profiles in this.

11 MILLIE’S KISS – Sole victory came in a bit of a non-contest at Lingfield in early March, running out a 3-length winner in a weak maiden. She was beaten by Cheval Blanche later that same month and although better off at the weights, she doesn’t look like to have the class of some of her opponents in this and she’s likely to find this too hot off a mark of 73. Philip McBride has a 9% strike rate at Chelmsford from 55 runners.