It should be remembered that the ground was soft for some of the May meeting last year. It should be remembered because Here Comes When won a good three-year-old handicap over the same C&D as today's opener (13:45) and here he returns to the scene of his personal best. It must be admitted that Here Comes When looked awkward in two subsequent starts, though it's feasible that neither Epsom nor fast ground (in the Jersey Stakes on his final start) suited him ideally while he may also be best caught fresh, that often the case with quirky sorts. Either way, connections of Here Comes When can't have any complaints in terms of conditions here and if he's ever to fulfil his smart promise today is the most likely time to do it.
Unusually, the emphasis will be on stamina at Chester today. That won't change the draw bias, though; indeed it may amplify it, the work required to get prominent from a wide draw likely to compromise a horse's chance even more. That's the thinking behind the selection of stall 1 inhabitant Viva Verglas in the 15:15- that and the idea that he's been abandoned by punters on the strength of no more than a subdued reappearance. Viva Verglas finished 2013 on the up after a couple of tries above his caste and if, like us, you're willing to forgive a flat showing at Hamilton on Saturday he makes plenty of appeal at current odds. There's also the question of soft ground, which Viva Verglas made a decent fist of answering when winning and finishing second on his two encounters with softer than good last year.
Draw again enters calculations in the 15:50. King of Eden had to endure being caught wide at Newcastle last time, though he shaped reasonably with that considered and gets his just rewards here as he gets to break from stall 2. This time last year King of Eden had just won a handicap from a BHA mark of 83, today he lines up off 80. It has to be taken on trust that he's as good as he was in 2013, but only to a degree after Newcastle's disguised promise. Current odds underplay the chance of a King of Eden rediscovering his best form.
Timeform UK SmartPlays
All at Chester
Back Here Comes When @ 4.47/2 in the 13:45
Back Viva Veglas @ 8.07/1 in the 15:15
Back King of Eden @ 7.06/1 in the 15:50
