8.40pm Chelmsford Tips & Betting Preview 08/05/2017

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

IN SUMMARY: This is a wide open Class 6 handicap and it may pay to stick with KAFOO. Ed Dunlop’s runner shoulders top weight here but this represents a drop in grade and the 7lb claim of the useful Ben Robinson leaves him on a potentially useful mark. He’s still lightly-raced and there could be more to come from him here. Win Lose Draw looks to be lingering on a workable mark now dropping down in grade whilst Stun Gun is another that looks well-handicapped but his form of late has been rather poor.

1 KAFOO – Won a Class 5 handicap at Lingfield last May over 7 furlongs and he has under-performed since with two comfortable defeats in handicap company. He arrives here a pound lower and dropped into Class 6 company which should see him get competitive against a modest bunch. Ben Robinson claims a valuable 7lbs but the stable are without a winner from their last 21 runners and that’s a small cause for concern today.

2 FREDDY WITH A Y – Has been running to a consistent level of late off a mark of 63. This looks a slightly easier task than his last two assignments and he should be capable of scoring in today’s company although he’s had plenty of chances already and his losing sequence extends back to May 2015. It may pay to look elsewhere again for a yard with a poor 9% strike rate at Chelmsford.

3 STUN GUN – Looked to be set for a profitable winter campaign following a success at Southwell in November but he’s gone badly backwards since. He’s failed to finish closer than 8 lengths to the winner in any of his runs since January and that’s seen him slip down the weights to 2lbs lower than his last winning mark. He should run better than he did at Yarmouth early last week and connections are keen to run him again quickly.

4 WIN LOSE DRAW – Mick Appleby’s entry has run to a modest level this winter which included a 6-length romp in a Wolverhampton handicap back in November. He was raised 13lbs for that success and he’s obviously taken some time to adjust to his much higher rating but he’s not been far away of late and is down another 2lbs today. Cheekpieces are reapplied today instead of the visor and the step back up in trip could make the difference. Respected.

5 GREYFRIARSCHORISTA – David Evans’ 10yo makes his 80th career start today and it’d be a small surprise to see him win this. He’s steadily fallen through the weights over the past year, having been rated 81 just over a year ago and he’s clearly not the force of old. He failed to win a claimer at Southwell in March and opportunities are beginning to wear thin on the All-Weather as we head into the turf season. Worth opposing again from stall 8.

6 HOLD FIRM – Completed a double on the All-Weather earlier this year and he’s paid the price since having been held in Class 6 handicaps. He’s not been disgraced in any of his subsequent performances although he may find one or two rivals better handicapped here. Stall 1 is ideal and he’s versatile with regards to race tactics given he can be held up or ridden up with the pace. He’s one of two C&D winners here and he’s worthy of respect.

7 POOL HOUSE – Completed a hat-trick as a 3yo on the All-Weather and he looked to have a big future ahead of him having been rated 99 in May 2014. He’s failed to win since and he’s now fallen 42lbs from his peak rating which accurately reflects his performances. He does put in a good run here and there but his terribly inconsistent profile means he’s extremely hard to predict. This is another career low mark and Robert Winston is aboard today.

8 MOWHOOB – Finished ahead of Hold Firm and Pool House on his last start to finish second of 10 over C&D. That was a good run and off the same mark he should go close again with Luke Morris in the saddle today. The yard have sent out just 1 winner from 18 runners here but this is one of their better handicapped runners and he is likely to be popular in this. He is a 7yo though and wouldn’t have a huge amount of improvement in him at this stage of his career.