8.15pm Chelmsford Tips & Betting Preview 11/03/2017

There are a couple of progressive types in this, see our betting tips and the full race preview below.

IN SUMMARY: It may pay to stick with HAIRDRYER now he’s starting to fulfil some of his promise. He’s shown plenty of progression of late and a mark of 77 looks workable now he’s really starting to relish this trip although General Hazard will be a tricky opponent off the back of a recent win. Carrying top weight off just a nine day break may be slightly too much for Archie Watson’s charge whilst Russian Reward will find this harder than his last run.

1 GENERAL HAZARD – Archie Watson is in good recent form (2 winners from last 9 runners) and he runs his recent winner again here. He won on his stable debut at Newcastle over this trip last time out when justifying good market support and connections turn him out quickly off just 4lbs higher. He won with a little in hand that day and this in an effective drop in grade but he will have to shoulder a heavy 10st 2lbs. He’s clearly a progressive horse and he should have no problem fighting out the finish here if he can reproduce his last win, albeit only 9 days later.

2 HAIRDRYER – He never quite delivered in his first season racing having been beaten at a short enough price on several occasions. However, he started to improve towards the back end of last year and the step up in trip worked wonders and he broke his maiden tag over C&D on his last start of last season. He’s posted two decent efforts in Class 4 company this year and the drop back down to Class 5 company combined with this trip should work wonders. He’s got a big chance here if he can start to deliver on some of that early promise.

3 RUSSIAN REWARD – Took advantage of a drop in the handicap last time out to win well off a mark of 71. He had the run of the race that day and it was only a claimer so connections probably aren’t getting too carried away with the quality of the form. The handicapper has been fair and nudged him up only 1lb so he’s not without a chance here but he will need to improve and may not get the run of the race today. He’s respected but one or two others make a little more appeal at the weights.

4 MERCY ME – Has held her form well enough this winter having won off 5lbs lower in October of last year over C&D. The handicapper probably has her where he wants her although that’s not to say she’s not on a workable mark given she was only beaten a head off just 2lbs lower. She’s now 5lbs better off with Music Major for a 2 1/2 length defeat at Lingfield last month and she should get closer this time around now back here. She’s not without a chance but others make more appeal.

5 MUSIC MAJOR – Arrives here on the back of a win at Lingfield and the form looks decent enough with a well-handicapped rival in second. He has a career high mark to contend with today now he’s been raised 4lbs and this is going to be tougher again now kept in Class 5 company having done most of his winning in a lower grade. This is only his second start over the trip so there may be some improvement to come although he’s going to need to step up again and others are preferred.

6 SUMMER DOVE – This filly returns to George Peckham having gone to race in Dubai but that didn’t work out given she only raced once there and was well beaten. She returns here for her handicap debut and a mark of 65 looks to be cautious from the handicapper given she hasn’t shown much in her two UK runs. She’s a tricky horse to gauge and may be best watched although her trainer does have a 25% strike rate here.