Calico can collect at Chester
Calico Blue is a sprinter on the up and his liking for Chester tips the scales in his favour for the Queensferry Stakes on Sunday.
Trained by Roger Varian, who has his horses in the best form of the season, he fairly bolted up in handicap company last weekend on the Roodee.
While this represents a step up in grade and he meets some rivals rated considerably higher, siding with horses who like Chester’s tight turns usually pays dividends.
Just touched off in a valuable handicap at the July course on his penultimate outing, prior to that he had finished a very meritorious fourth behind the Nunthorpe-bound Bacio in the Palace of Holyroodhouse at Royal Ascot.
He held an entry in Saturday’s Stewards’ Cup, for which he would have been well fancied, but even with his penalty he stood little chance of getting in. Varian is clearly keen to strike while the iron is hot with him, however.
Andrew Balding’s Pure Grit sets a very tall standard for the British Stallion Studs EBF ‘Confined’ Maiden Stakes.
The Pinatubo colt has had the misfortune of bumping into two above-average recruits so far, finishing second both times.
On his debut he found only God Given Talent too good, a horse who has been to Royal Ascot and raced in Listed company since.
Next time out on the Roodee he bumped into Richard and Peter Fahey’s Virtuous Star, who could well go on to be the best to have come out of that Malton yard for some time.
What that showed is Pure Grit handles Chester and with a rating of 85 already, the others are going to have to take a big leap forward if he runs to that sort of mark.
Alpha Capture should prove too good in the J20 Classified Claiming Stakes.
Roger Fell’s charge has been very consistent in handicaps this season and while his most recent effort when 10th of 18 at York may seem a little disappointing, he was beaten less than four lengths when favourite for a class four handicap.
Charlie Johnston was forced to miss a valuable nursery at Goodwood this week and sends Telegraphic to Yarmouth instead but it could prove a blessing in the long run.
Having made a promising debut at Carlisle, the Kameko colt absolutely bolted up next time at Brighton.
Now that form can probably be taken with a pinch of salt as the short-priced favourite reared coming out of the stalls, losing any chance.
The fact he was able to still finish fourth probably tells you how good the rest were, but Telegraphic did win by 7.5-lengths, earning a mark of 82 in the process.
He should defy a penalty in the Juddmonte EBF Restricted Novice Stakes at the seaside.
Billy Loughnane has been booked by Johnston and the championship-chasing jockey has also been snapped up by Ed Dunlop for Melting Snow in the Bodhi Solutions – Constructing Champions Handicap.
The three-year-old filly looks unlikely to match the exploits of her family as her dam, Virgin Snow, was out of the brilliant Snow Fairy and was also Group-placed herself.
But her latest run was her best, making her handicap debut off 62 she finished a close fourth when stepped up to 2000m for the first time.
Off the same mark she should go close again. – Press Association
SELECTIONS:
CHESTER: Race 1 – 15.10 Kuredu King, Race 2 – 15.45 Pure Grit, Race 3 – 16.20 CALICO BLUE (NAP), Race 4 – 16.52 Palmar Bay, Race 5 – 17.22 Alpha Capture, Race 6 – 17.52 Tiger.
GALWAY: Race 1 – 14.50 Teed Up, Race 2 – 15.20 Fou De Toi, Race 3 – 15.55 Soldante, Race 4 – 16.30 The Banger Doyle, Race 5 – 17.00 Orandi, Race 6 – 17.30 Gabby Hayes, Race 7 – 18.00 Tharaka, Race 8 – 18.30 Linford.
YARMOUTH: Race 1 – 15.35 Mr Bollinger, Race 2 – 16.08 Telegraphic, Race 3 – 16.38 Valsharah, Race 4 – 17.08 Melting Snow, Race 5 – 17.38 The Ubermensch, Race 6 – 18.08 Dragon God.