ITV Racing Tips: Selections On Day Two At Chester

Always an informative meeting and in recent years seemingly blessed by the weather gods, Chester's Dee Meeting is one not to miss. Billy Grimshaw is back from a brief hiatus and has a couple of ITV Racing tips for Day Two, Thursday.

14:35 Chester

The Dee Stakes has become a bit of a Ryan Moore and Aidan O'Brien benefit in recent seasons, with the duo teaming up for the last three winners with Capulet, San Antonio and Star Of India. It's fair to say none of those horses really kicked on to be elite colts, but the master at Ballydoyle knows the type of horse needed to win this race and his favourite Mount Kilimanjaro is worthy of plenty of respect given he is the choice of Ryan Moore and comes here on the back of a decent third on seasonal debut last time out when not at all given a hard time of things. That screamed of a prep run and he looks sure to come on a bundle for it here, however at the prices I am willing to give the Ballydoyle second string a go.

We have already decided Aidan doesn't send stars here and with all of his yard's inmates bred in the purple, it must be tough for Ryan Moore to always know which one to get on. Especially when we aren't discussing the cream of the crop at the yard, mistakes are bound to happen and I think there's enough juice in 9/1 about ISAMBARD BRUNEL with William Buick riding to take a chance.

Justify is earning rave reviews as a stallion and while this colt comes here off a winter's break and is entitled to come on for the run, unlike the market leading stablemate, he did improve with every run at two and I like his profile for this step up in trip. Both Ballydoyle horses like to get on with things on the limited evidence we've seen so far but I can't imagine Buick would take the ride if he was purely in here to pace-make and hopefully the horses are closer in ability than the prices suggest and he can upset the odds. It is of course no two horse race and Calla Lagoon looked progressive last season for Ralph Beckett so shouldn't be discounted and Hott Shott has two runs under his belt already this campaign so could be more on the ball than most, however I like our pick's chances at the odds and can see him at the very least being involved in the finish.

15:40 Chester

The race before this the Chester Vase looks a devilishly tricky puzzle to solve and I honestly wouldn't be surprised at any result with fitness doubts over many of the main players and the outsiders perhaps disrespected at the prices, but I couldn't find a betting angle in so we move on to this the closing handicap on ITV. 

Anyone with a passing interest in racing knows how crucial a low draw is at Chester over this trip of just under a mile, so seeing the newly gelded EL BURHAN get box one was a brilliant sight. He is about 2/1 and I wouldn't be surprised to see him go off closer to evens given his profile, with the horse seeing a weight of money last summer at Glorious Goodwood in a handicap only to be thwarted and having to settle for third there. That was a sharp seven furlongs whereas this is extended and he was doing his best work late that day, so I can't see the trip holding any worries and the trainer's record at Chester and with those running first time after the cruellest cut makes him a comfortable Thursday NAP for me.

The 280 day lay off will be a worry for some but Boughey is a dab hand at priming them for a big run off that type of break and with the horse being tactically versatile and blessed with a good draw I cannot see any reason to oppose him. Jim Crowley is not a jockey I seem to find myself on the right side of when punting a lot of the time but this should be a straightforward enough ride for him so hopefully it's smooth sailing for El Burhan to wrap up Thursday with a winner and onto bigger and better things than winning handicaps off a mark of just 93. He's surely a good bit better than that.