Chester Placepot: Friday May 11

Adam Barnes
11 May 2012

Richard Fahey's Kyllachy Star looks to have plenty in his favour in the opening race at Chester.

Join

Twitter

Facebook

View the Betslip

The third and final day of Chester's May meeting is the venue for Friday's attempt to land the placepot....

Kyllachy Star is twice a winner at Chester, including in this race last year...

13.35 - Kyllachy Star is twice a winner at Chester, including in this race last year. He arrives on the back of a good second in the Spring Mile at Doncaster in March and remains on a good mark, so everything looks in place for him to go well from his good draw. Louis The Pious has a wider draw to overcome but he is also a course winner, was successfulon his 2011 reappearance and is very consistent, so he also looks worth keeping on-side.

14.05 - Bonfire is a notable non-runner in the Dee Stakes, and that could leave the door open for Aiden O'Brien's Astrology. He was no superstar as a 2-y-o and has yet to encounter testing ground, but this doesn't look the strongest Group 3 and he is taken to land the spoils.

14.35 - Just the four runners for the Group 3 Ormonde Stakes and it makes sense to play things safe by selecting the two stand-out form horses Memphis Tennessee and Brown Panther. It would be a big surprise if the winner came from outside these two, and one of them should see us through to the next leg.

15.05 - Ballesteros handles testing ground very well, is well drawn, and arrives here on the back of a good win at Sandown last month. He is up 6 lb for winning by a neck there, but the eleven-length gap back to the remainder of the field suggest he remains feasibly treated. He is selected along with Dam Beautiful, who herself also arrives on the back of a recent win on easy ground and looks set to go well again.

15.40 - Orpsie Boy seems to have plenty going for him in the fifth leg of the placepot. He arrives on the back of a win in a competitive 7f handicap at Thirsk last weekend and has won at this track before, so looks set to run a big race for the in-form Ruth Carr yard. April Fool has been in good heart recently, winning two of his last four starts and placing on the other occasions. His draw in stall one is a positive given his front-running style, and he has solid place claims.

16.15 - Bunraku shaped well when fifth on debut at Newmarket last month but the widest draw and testing ground mean a better selection for placepot purposes could be Lady Loch, who chased home Moonstone Magic - winner of the Fred Darling on her next start - on soft ground at Leicester last time, and a repeat of that form will likely see her right in the mix here.

Selections:
13:35 - 1, 4
14:05 - 1
14:35 - 1, 3
15:05 - 2, 3
15:40 - 1, 7
16:15 - 3
=16 lines