3:15 Chester
FALCON EIGHT 6/1 generally – 0.75 POINTS E/W (5 places, 1/5 odds)
CALLING THE WIND 8/1 generally – 0.5 POINTS E/W (5 places, 1/5 odds)
The big race of the week and we have 2 selections in this race.
FALCON EIGHT is our first pick, a horse who won this race back in 2021 under a master Frankie Dettori ride, off a mark of 104. He then returned last season coming home 5th of 14, although this time around, Frankie did not give him a great ride.
Today we have Ryan Moore on board and being drawn in 4, I would like to see him make much more use of him. He loves a bit of cut in the ground and although now rated 108, this is a weak looking Chester Cup which won’t take much winning. Trainer Dermot Weld has a good record in this race and I expect him to have the horse primed. E/W.
CALLING THE WIND is trained by Richard Hughes and has booked Jamie Spencer for the ride which in my opinion is perfect. CALLING THE WIND travels so well through his races, the sort of horse Jamie Spencer loves to ride. He is a consistent horse who chased home the Stratum at last year’s Royal Ascot into 2nd place. He then chased home Coltrane into 3rd place, a horse who we now know is top drawer. He ran at Wolverhampton a couple of months ago and no doubt that race was just to get him spot on for this. He still travelled well and looked like the winner but just couldn’t go through with his effort.
He is drawn in 6 so has a lovely draw where Jamie Spencer can tuck him in just off the leaders. He is rated 100 by the handicapper which is the same handicap mark as when he finished 3rd in the 2021 Cesareswitch and he was also 2nd in the 2021 November Handicap off a mark of 103.
Everything points to a big run and with 5 places on offer, he has to make the frame at the very worst. E/W.
