Chester Racing Tips: Gabrial can be crowned King in the Chester Cup

Everything looks set for Steve Rogers to run a massive race in the Chester Cup at 15:10 but unfortunately that is why he trades as the 4.84/1 favourite in the 17-runner handicap.

He is much the likeliest winner and were it not for a car park stall in the Cesarewitch last season then he could be coming here unbeaten in his last three starts, including a win over 2m at this track. And an entry in the Ascot Gold Cup suggests that the trainer certainly thinks that a mark of 94 continues to be workable.

It wouldn't surprise me if he bolts up from stall three, especially as my main fancy against him, Moonrise Landing, was pulled out of the race on Tuesday morning after coming in season.

The likes of Quick Jack and Silver Concorde are likely sorts against him, but they haven't been missed in the market, and I was initially tempted to go with William Of Orange on his Flat debut for Donald McCain at around 25-1.

But he went off the boil over hurdles in the spring and I am going to chuck a few quid at course winner Gabrial's King at 17.016/1 win and 4.57/2 in the place.

He only got into the race because English Summer, similarly owned and trained, was pulled out of the race on Tuesday morning and he can take advantage of that stroke of good fortune.

I was with him last year when he finished a 3-length fourth to Trip To Paris off a 1lb lower mark in this race, and for a lot of the contest I thought that he was going to win. But his stamina just deserted him on the good to soft ground, especially after he had travelled a touch too freely in the early stages. And he didn't get the best of runs late on.

The drying ground will help on the stamina front and I think they will be inclined to drop him in and deliver him a lot later today, especially from his wide draw, and he again warmed up for this race with a good third in the Ripon race he took in before last season's fourth here.

He may be bumping into much better handicapped horses - and it really wouldn't surprise if the favourite sluiced in - but I'll take my chances at the price.

Fiery and Copper to fight out Lily Agnes

The Lily Agnes at 14:10 is, as ever, a very tricky race to call and I won't be betting in it.

However, Fiery Character looks an obvious candidate for local trainer Tom Dascombe after making all to spring a 33-1 surprise at Newmarket last month, and a draw in two certainly helps.

But Copper Knight will surely benefit from going left-handed after throwing the race away when hanging at Windsor last week - Awesome Allan was 2 ½ lengths away in third but is now 6lb better off - and he is one of a number of obvious dangers. These 2yo races are too much of a guessing game for me at the best of times, though, let alone with the draw to factor in around here.

Cheshire Oaks at the mercy of exciting O'Brien filly

The Cheshire Oaks at 14:40 features yet another beautifully bred, unexposed, 3yo filly from the Aidan O'Brien camp in Somehow and who knows how good she could be. Not me, that's for sure.

The form of her 1m2f maiden win in heavy ground at Leopardstown has been franked by the runner-up, and her pedigree - she is out of the runaway dual Oaks winner Alexandrova - suggests she should thrive over this longer trip.

She will rightfully be a short price in a race her trainer has won four times in the past eight years and I wouldn't be in a rush to lay her, even though plenty of inexperienced horses don't relish this track. No bet.

Big price wide runners can call the shots

Roudee looks the right favourite in the 5f handicap at 15:45 after the in-form, course and meeting winner drew stall one. But he will have to trap better than he did last time at Epsom to take advantage of it.

These sprint handicaps throw up the old-age punting debate. Do I take an artificially short price about a horse drawn low - well not artificially, but you know what I mean - or a badly-drawn one at inflated odds.

I am going to do neither. I am going to back two horses drawn wide, not one, in the shape of Snap Shots at 17.016/1 and Green Door at 34.033/1.

Snap Shots disappointed behind stablemate Roudee when fourth of five at this meeting last year and is drawn in 11, But he has slipped down to an enticing mark, won't mind the drying ground and I thought he shaped very promisingly when fifth at Wolverhampton on his return last month.

He has been dropped 1lb for that and is worth chancing with the cheekpieces back on, as is Green Door from an even wider berth in 13.

He has course form, and he has dropped 7lb in the weights this year. If he can bounce out and get a prominent position - as he did when bolting up by 6 lengths at Beverley last September - then he is primed to outrun those massive odds off a very attractive handicap mark. The visor has been left off again, which slightly concerns me, I admit.

Recommended Bets

Back Gabrial's King 17.016/1 in win and 4.57/2 in place in 15:10
Back Snap Shots at 17.016/1 in the 15:45
Back Green Door at 34.033/1 in the 15:45