Thursday Racing Tips: Tony Calvin is feeling the love for Amor at Chester today

• TC runs through all the ITV races at Chester

• Alder (14:40) appeals but make sure price is right

• Tony finds one to play in the 15:45 handicap

Ground fit for King's?

13:30 - Caa Stellar Handicap (2) (Class 2) - No bet

Those who like betting in 5f handicaps around Chester - they do exist apparently - will be heartened by the fact that the opener at 13:30 on Thursday only has eight runners, which levels the playing field somewhat for those drawn widest.

So it could be that Chuck and Cammy have a winner with the Royal runner King's Lynn, even though he is housed badly in stall eight of eight.

Our King and Queen are not used to slumming it in the worst berths available.

Anyway, lame jokes aside, King's Lynn comes here on the back of a poor run in very deep ground at Doncaster but a mark of 107 is very workable if he's back to his best. He has finished second in the conditions sprint at this meeting for the past two years, so the track holds no fears.

With a fair wind, last season's Group 2 Temple Stakes winner, an 11-2 chance, could easily outclass these, as forward-goers Look Out Louis (winner of this race last year), Nymphadora, Night On Earth, Mokaatil and Lihou could set it up nicely for a late pounce.

Some of his better efforts have come on soft ground but if it got very bad by race-time that would be a concern. I rarely need more than one excuse to bail out of punting and tipping in sprint handicaps, especially a 6yo coming here on the back of a poor run in possibly worsening conditions.

I am working on the basis of at least soft ground on Thursday. At the time of publishing just after 10am on Wednesday morning the showers at Chester have just started.

Should you Coco?

14:05 - Deepbridge Capital Handicap (2) (Class 2) - No bet

There are a few 3yo improvers in the 7f127yd handicap at 14:05 but I thought the overpriced one was Coco Jack, coming down the weights and also slightly back in trip after running well enough of late.

He is on the big side at 16/1 in two places on Wednesday morning but the problem with him is he could be treble those odds after a furlong if his tendency to start slowly resurfaces here from stall seven of nine.

That said, he came from off the pace to be beaten just a short-head off a 1lb higher mark than this over course and distance last year, with a capable enough jockey taking off 3lb, a so I seriously entertained him.

However, he would have never raced on anything this deep (if the forecasts are accurate, with a bit more rain due on Thursday), and this is probably going to be the warmest handicap he has taken in. There are plenty of unexposed lurkers in here.

All roads lead to Alder

14:40 - Boodles Dee Stakes (Listed) (1) (Class 1) - No bet

Beware if you are betting each way in the eight-runner Dee Stakes at 14:40 as Hadrianus is due to run on Wednesday and it also sounds as though Wood Ditton winner Passenger may not run if the ground worsens appreciably.

With the Ballydoyle colt San Antonio - read Ryan Moore's thoughts on him here - with an acre to find on form, and the Godolphin horse Local Dynasty carrying a 3lb penalty, it could be that all roads lead to Alder here.

Third to Auguste Rodin in Group 2 company last season, he reappeared to beat some fair sorts in impressive fashion at Cork over 1m2f. This well entered-up colt could take a fair bit of whacking.

He showed a good cruising speed and a telling turn of foot at Cork, traits that will stand him in good stead around here.

He is 11/4+ on the Betfair Exchange but you could well be looking at a couple of significant Rule 4s, so I will let him pass for now. I could well back him on the day when we know more about the running plans and opposition. And ground.

Hamish looks solid but Haggas is struggling

15:15 - Ormonde Stakes (Group 3) (1) (Class 1) - No bet

We didn't see Changingoftheguard after Royal Ascot as he had a hairline fracture of his tibia, and last year's Chester Vase winner makes his comeback in a very strong renewal of the Group 3 Ormonde Stakes. You will see weaker Group 2s this year.

He is probably a fair enough price at around the 3/1 mark but he meets a solid-as-you-like favourite in here in Hamish, even with his 3lb penalty.

Now, I am a bad judge of a short price but he won this race first time out last season, he has the best form (a ¾-length second to Kyprios in the Irish St Leger) and he handles heavy if the ground worsens (though he wasn't at his best in it when beaten by Max Vega, re-opposing here, at Newbury last term).

The only thing that would put you off at 2s may be that the form of the William Haggas yard isn't up to their usual unerring standard (their two recent winners were 4/7 and evens) and they are unusually quiet in the amount of runners they are sending out.

Tudor has a very good chance

15:45 - Tmt Group Handicap (3) (Class 3) - back Tudor

Update: Tudor is now a non-runner

Tudor interested me most in the 1m2f handicap at 15:45. Kevin Philppart de Foy writes a column in the Racing And Football Outlook on Tuesdays and he managed to mention all his entries this week, bar this one.

That is music to ears of conspiracy theorists like myself, not that I needed the trainer to tell me his horse has a very good chance after seeing no daylight close home over 1m4f at Lingfield last time.

That points to him being on a very fair mark, the step down in trip is no problem, and he showed form in testing ground over an inadequate 1m at Nottingham and Epsom last season.

He is a bet at 9.08/1 or bigger, even if his trainer believes he is better on a quicker surface. He is 15/2 with the Sportsbook.

Back Amor to overcome draw

15:45 - Tmt Group Handicap (3) (Class 3) - back Amor Vincit Omnia

I am going in two-handed here though, as Amor Vincit Omnia looks overpriced despite a potentially nasty draw in 11.

Harry Eustace is making another good impression this season and I'd say he was very satisfied with this horse's debut for him at Newbury last month, when sixth, and doubly so when he was dropped 2lb for it.

Eustace won that race with the better-fancied and shorter-priced stablemate Mustazeed, and it could have been a strong handicap for the grade, as the second has won well since at Goodwood last weekend.

Proven in testing ground and having just his 10th start, Eustace will be fancying himself to get more out of the 4yo, a 25,000 guineas purchase out of Hugo Palmer's stable in October.

Back him at 15.014/1 or bigger as that is a fair price to aim at. He is also 14/1 with the Sportsbook, though there is some 16s in the wider marketplace.

Like Tudor, it is also no big deal for his chance if Chester avoids substantial rain through Wednesday.

The eight-runner 7f handicap at Southwell at 13:50 is also on the box but you are on your own there.

Go well.