Sam Turner Tips: Pearl might prove a Chester jewel at 14/1

• Spring Mile winner can cause an opening race surprise 

• Fuss can prove Hot stuff in the Cup

• Cuban can ensure a Grey day for layers 

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13:30, Chester - Back Pearl Eye each-way @ 14/115.00

11 (4)

Pearl Eye

• J: Mason Paetel
• T: Darryll Holland
• F:

Old adversaries Divine Libra and Two Tempting meet in a typically competitive opener on Chester Cup day and both appear to have compelling claims with their well-being and affinity for the track already confirmed.

Sadly, the market shares that view, installing the pair at the head of the betting and it is roughly 6/4 (at the time of writing) that either of them obliges.

However, with four places on offer with the Sportsbook, Pearl Eye makes some appeal, even if backing him usually involves a white-knuckle ride. I thought the Spring Mile winner emerged with plenty of credit on day one of the meeting when, after his usual sluggish start, he powered home from the home turn to be beaten less than three lengths at the line.

Unsurprisingly, the selection clocked the swiftest come-home-sectional in the race and, although Chester's tight turns compromise a slow starter like him, he is worth a wager to exorcise the ghosts of his agonising defeat on the Roodee last September. Hopefully, the upwardly mobile Mason Paatel can get a good tune out of the five-year-old.

15:05, Chester - Back Hot Fuss each-way @ 17/29.50

7 (3)

Hot Fuss (Ire)

• J: Pierre-Louis Jamin
• T: Tom Dascombe
• F:

If East India Dock and Hot Fuss met over hurdles this weekend, the former would have to concede an eyewatering 23lbs to the latter, while there were also four lengths between the duo when they met over obstacles at Wincanton last October.

Paradoxically, Hot Fuss must shoulder 4lbs more than his rival in the Chester Cup so arguably has a stiff task to beat the well-backed ante-post market leader here.

However, the selection is improving and looks better value from a handy low draw following a superb run in the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap at the Cheltenham festival where he was in the firing line throughout and still managed to hang on for fourth.

The first three across the line that day all benefitted from patient, hold up rides, while Tom Dascombe's four-year-old, sporting the first-time blinkers, was prominent throughout.

There is every chance he will be ridden positively again here with the visors (worn to victory at Southwell on his penultimate start) replacing the blinkers and he should find this test to his liking.

15:05, Chester - Back Divine Comedy each-way @ 11/112.00

3 (7)

Divine Comedy (Ire)

• J: Kaiya Fraser
• T: Harry Eustace
• F:

With five places on offer with the Sportsbook, the admirable Divine Comedy is also worth supporting at double figure odds given the form of her Nottingham comeback behind Al Qareem gained a tidy boost on day two of the May meeting.

Her Colwick Park conqueror only gave way in the straight to the classy Illinois in the Group 3 Ormonde Stakes and Harry Eustace's game mare has since run with credit in the Sagaro Stakes where she had little chance at the weights with Coltrane.

At home in big-field handicaps, Divine Comedy was narrowly repelled in the 20-runner Ascot Stakes at the Royal meeting last June and ought to be in the mix now she is reunited with regular accomplice Kaiya Fraser.   

15:40, Chester - Back Grey Cuban @ 6/17.00

4 (11)

Grey Cuban

• J: Joe Leavy
• T: Hugo Palmer
• F:

Hugo Palmer enjoyed an excellent second day of the May meeting with Roman Dragon and Tricky Tel scoring to hand the Cheshire handler a notable double at his local venue.

There is the prospect for further gains too with stalwart Zoffee returning for another dart at the Chester Cup and the likes of Ruby's Angel and Grey Cuban holding solid claims in their respective events on day three.

The latter should strip a great deal fitter for his Kempton reappearance which saw him run extremely well to a point in the Rosebery Handicap before fading late on.

This handicap must surely be one of his chief objectives this season and he actually beat the born-again sprinter More Thunder here over course and distance last summer so ought to be in the mix again.

15:40, Chester - Back Penzance @ 15/28.50

3 (7)

Penzance

• J: Alistair Rawlinson
• T: Michael Appleby
• F:

The case for Penzance is a little more tenuous given he is 0-7 on the turf and his six best career performances have all been recorded on a synthetic surface. However, there was enough encouragement in a fine Thirsk Hunt Cup display at the weekend to suggest the son of Wootton Bassett can make his mark in a handicap of this nature.

It paid to race close to the pace on Saturday, yet the selection had just one rival behind him turning for home before keeping on takingly to finish withing four lengths of Flight Plan and Hi Royal, himself a horse that was placed in both English and Irish 2000 Guineas a couple of summers ago.

Penzance is not an easy conveyance, but if he takes to the tight Chester contours, he might just deliver a big performance.      

Now read Katie Midwinter's Friday tips here