7.10pm Chelmsford Tips & Betting Preview 01/06/2017

This is a Class 2 handicap over a mile, see our betting tips and the full race preview below.

IN SUMMARY: The handicapper has raised TRICORN 11lbs in the handicap following his fourth win in a row but that might not be enough to stop him winning and he gets the vote today. He continues to progress with each run and this race won’t take a huge amount of winning so he can make it five wins from his last five runs. Any money for Intimate Art would be of interest given he’s much better than he showed on his seasonal reappearance.

1 MAILSHOT – Has been beaten a fair way on his last three starts on the turf (15 1/2, 8 and 11 lengths respectively) but he looks better on sand and his handicap mark remains 5lbs higher than his last win on the surface. He won a C&D handicap by an easy 2 1/4 lengths that day and this looks like a fair rating on his All-Weather form. More will be required today and others make slightly more appeal on form.

2 TRICORN – Progressive colt for the John Gosden stable and he seeks a four-timer today. He won a decent handicap at Newmarket last time out by a cosy margin and he’s been handed a heavy 11lb rise in the weights following that success. He’s up in grade as a result and this will require more but he’s clearly improving and James Doyle remains in the saddle. The stable have a 29% strike rate at Chelmsford and another big run is expected.

3 SULTAN BAYBARS – Makes the first start of his 3yo campaign today and he’s the only runner in this without a recent run. He’s been gelded over the winter following a mixed bag of performances last year which saw him finish sixth in a Group 3 before going on to finish a disappointing third in a Class 5 novice event. He doesn’t look entirely straightforward but this mark looks right on his Group performance and he’s worth close market attention.

4 CITY OF JOY – Did well to score on his return to action in early May where he beat some fair sorts off a 5lb lower mark. This is a tougher race than the one that success came in although he should improve for that run and he looks just the sort to keep improving throughout his 3yo campaign. Ryan Moore gets aboard today and a big run is expected of what looks to be a fair handicap mark. Respected.

5 AREEN HEART – Finished third at Chester last month over an extended 7 furlongs in a decent race. He’s been nudged up a pound for that effort which looks fair and he should go well on his first All-Weather start given he’s by Exceed And Excel. This is probably as far as he wants to go at this stage but he’s another unexposed sort who should improve again and he enters calculations today.

6 MANDARIN – Beat a nice enough sort in a Newcastle maiden last September over a mile and he showed his liking for the All-Weather surface that day. He was well-beaten in a Heavy ground Doncaster handicap just 12 days ago and he will need to improve dramatically to get involved here having finished last of 5. He’s turned out quickly so connections clearly feel he’s better than that and he’s another to watch closely in the betting.

7 ELECTION DAY – Would be an appropriate winner at present and Mark Johnston’s second runner looks to be the stable first string. He was beaten 2 1/4 lengths at Musselburgh in early May and he’s only one pound higher here so there’s every chance he can improve and serve it up to these from the front out of gate 2. He’s dropped back down to a mile which should help but the main negative is that he’s more exposed than a few of his market rivals.

8 INTIMATE ART – Won a Kempton maiden by 1 1/4 lengths at the end of last year and connections gelded him over the winter. He was beaten 7 lengths on his return to action in a decent race at Newbury in April and he’s been given some time since then so he should strip fitter and sharper today. Josephine Gordon is aboard for the first time and he has some questions to answer now at a mile.