Tritonic has collected big races on the Flat and over hurdles, but reverts back to the level in the Chester Cup on Friday, live on Sky Sports Racing; Doyle then heads to Nottingham rather than Ascot on Saturday
Thursday 11 May 2023 16:41, UK
Sky Sports Racing ambassador Hollie Doyle takes the ride on dual-purpose star Tritonic in the tote Chester Cup and could well have the race run to suit on the day.
Anything could happen in Friday's tote Chester Cup (3.15) on a rain-soaked Roodee. Conditions will be testing on day three of the Boodles May Festival but that shouldn't bother my capable partner TRITONIC.
He's a talented horse who won impressively for me at Goodwood last season on easy ground and won in soft conditions over hurdles at Ascot, too. Tritonic stays well.
He was a good fourth in a valuable handicap hurdle at Aintree over 2m 4f so I'm expecting him to see out the extended 2m 2f effectively, even in the forecast conditions.
I'm happy enough with my draw in stall eight. He's a strong traveller so we should be able to secure a nice position behind the leaders and hopefully come home well off the home turn.
The draw hasn't been kind to FFION in the CAA Stellar Earl Grosvenor Handicap (1.30) but she does have winning form on the track which can be a considerable advantage around Chester.
Dave Loughnane's mare won at this fixture last year and followed that up in a similar handicap there in September, scoring with a lot in hand from a much better draw.
This will be her seasonal debut but she showed 12 months ago that she can go well fresh so I'm optimistic of another big run for her capable young trainer.
PRIDE OF AMERICA is an exuberant gelding who is ideally drawn for a prominent racer in the Precision Facades Handicap (2.05).
Amy Murphy has had his wind done again since he ran with credit in Listed grade in France in March following a pillar-to-post win over 11 furlongs at Kempton Park.
Happy on soft ground, he won a strong handicap over this course and distance at last year's Festival and has already proven himself at this higher level.
NIGHT AT SEA is bred to stay all day so I'm hoping to see some improvement from her in the Boodles Darley Maiden Stakes (3.45).
She was well beaten in a fillies' maiden at Newbury on debut but is well drawn to take a step forward for the Andrew Balding team.
Later, I'm linking up with Grand National-winning trainer Venetia Williams in the Tote Fantasy Who's In Your Stable Chester Plate Handicap (4.55), the consolation race for the Chester Cup.
CHRISTOPHER WOOD hasn't run on the Flat for a few years but will be fitter for his recent run over fences at Ayr and loves this ground.
My big concern is the wide draw in stall 17 - we'll need a big slice of luck from out there!
I've switched from Ascot to Nottingham on Saturday, principally to ride my boss Imad Alsagar's filly AMAZING in the penultimate race, the three-year-old handicap over an extended mile (4.45).
She makes her handicap debut for Imad and Roger Varian off an opening mark of 70 which should be well within her capabilities.
The daughter of Siyouni ran well around Wolverhampton on her re-appearance last month so I'll be disappointed if she doesn't make her presence felt, even though she's taking on rivals with reasonable form at this kind of level.
I'm looking forward to FANTASY MASTER in the 5f handicap (3.40) after his highly-encouraging performance at Ascot the other day.
Darryll Holland's five-year-old ran on well behind Spoof in a similar grade and seems ground versatile. He's won on soft and good to firm ground at this track and remains on a fair mark.
Archie Watson's LAST HOORAH took a positive step back in the right direction on the All-Weather last month so I'm expecting him to make his claim in the handicap for older horses over an extended mile (4.15).
He'd lost his way before making a bold bid from the front for me over 1m at Chelmsford City and won his maiden at Ffos Las on demanding ground, so rain at Colwick Park doesn't dampen my hopes.
Earlier, Dave Evans' three-year-old ALL IN THE HIPS will have a definite chance in the three-year-old handicap over 5f if she can replicate her Windsor success last month.
Not for the first time, she showed her liking for cut in the ground when scoring over 5f at the Thames track. She's only 2lb higher for this assignment and her poor run on the All-Weather last week is probably best ignored.
I sign off with Tjade Collier's BLUE HAWAII who gets plenty of weight from her rivals in the closing 1m 6f handicap (5.20).
She was beaten only a neck over a shorter trip at Southwell on Monday and won in soft ground over fences at Sedgefield in March so looks sure to go well if this hasn't come too soon.
