Racecards
15:45 Chester
Boodles Diamond Handicap (Class 2)
- 11 Runners
- Distance: 5f 16y
- Going: Good to Soft
- Surface: Turf
- £25,000 added
- Winner: £15,752
- 2nd: £4,715
- 3rd: £2,358
- 4th: £1,180
- Form 31040-9
- Age 6
- Weight 9-7
- Official Rating 100
prominent, ridden over 1f out, weakened entering final furlong
- Form 71805-6
- Age 9
- Weight 9-7
- Official Rating 100
- Trainer E S McMahon
- Jockey Graham Gibbons
prominent 1f, tracked leaders, ridden over 2f out, soon beaten
- Form 99409-2
- Age 4
- Weight 8-13
- Official Rating 92
- Trainer E J Alston
- Jockey Neil Farley
chased leaders, ridden and edged right over 2f out, soon beaten
- Form 87243-9
- Age 8
- Weight 8-12
- Official Rating 91
- Trainer T D Easterby
- Jockey D Allan
half reared start, behind, not clear run over 1f out, headway entering final furlong, went 2nd close home
- Form 0-41022
- Age 7
- Weight 8-10
- Official Rating 89
- Trainer T D Easterby
- Jockey A Mullen
in rear, ridden over 2f out, effort over 1f out, no further impression inside final furlong
- Form 070500-
- Age 7
- Weight 8-8
- Official Rating 87
- Trainer R A Fahey
- Jockey T Hamilton
not much room soon start, mid-division, headway 2f out, ridden over 1f out, ran on inside final furlong, led towards finish
- Form 300300-
- Age 6
- Weight 8-8
- Official Rating 87
mid-division, ridden and switched right over 1f out, ran on inside final furlong, unable to challenge
- Form 34279-8
- Age 4
- Weight 8-8
- Official Rating 87
- Trainer K A Ryan
- Jockey J P Spencer
not much room soon after start, towards rear, not much room and switched right over 1f out, edged left and headway inside final furlong, no impression
- Form 405-121
- Age 6
- Weight 8-6
- Official Rating 85
- Trainer P S McEntee
- Jockey Catherine Gannon
led, clear 2f out, ridden over 1f out, edged right inside final furlong, headed towards finish
- Form 10806-5
- Age 7
- Weight 8-4
- Official Rating 83
prominent 1f, tracked leaders, ridden over 2f out, kept on under pressure inside final furlong
Previous results
In depth
Verdict
One favourite in 10 years suggests this is a tricky handicap to fathom and more than half of the field have course and distance victories to their credit. Confessional won in 2012 and though a rare winner these days, conditions have come right for him though he could have been better drawn. Piazon will enjoy the ground better than most though he's another who could struggle to get close to the action as BLITHE SPIRIT generally flies out of the gates and takes some catching. She's already won three times on the track and will love the rain-softened ground - Neil Farley's claim is a bonus. B Fifty Two has run twice on the course and won them both including a comprehensive victory over the decent handicapper Dungannon on soft going in August. He has a good draw as does Come On Dave, who has been in tremendous form on Polytrack and is well handicapped on his return to Turf.
Formwatch
B Fifty Two (IRE) 25-1 (9-0) Disputed lead until ridden over 1f out, weakened final furlong, last of 9, 9l behind Pretend (9-0) at Lingfield 5f Listed stks (1) pol in Mar.
Noble Storm (USA) 16-1 (9-0) Led, ridden over 1f out, headed entering final furlong, soon weakened, 6th of 7, 3 1/2l behind Robot Boy (9-1) at Newbury 5f hcp (2) gf in Apr.
Blithe Spirit 25-1 (8-10) Led, ridden over 1f out, headed inside final furlong, kept on same pace, no impression on winner, 2nd of 7, 3 1/2l behind Spinatrix (8-10) at Nottingham 5f cond Stakes (3) sft in Apr.
Confessional 20-1 (8-13) Chased leaders stands side, driven 3f out, ridden inside final 2f, kept on same pace, never on terms, 9th of 16, 10l behind Pipers Note (9-6) at Ripon 6f hcp 0-105 (2) gf in Apr.
Mappin Time (IRE) 9-4 (9-5) Off the pace in 5th, headway on outside under pressure over 1f out, went 2nd inside final furlong, not reach winner, 2nd of 6, 1 1/4l behind Normal Equilibrium (9-4) at Chelmsford City 5f hcp 0-95 (3) pol in Apr.
Lexi's Hero (IRE) 25-1 (9-2) Chased leaders, pushed along halfway, weakened over 2f out, 15th of 16, 24l behind Englishman (9-3) at Haydock 6f hcp 0-90 (3) sft in Oct.
Ballesteros 20-1 (8-11) Chased leaders, ridden over 1f out, soon weakened, last of 12, 8l behind Foxtrot Romeo (9-4) at Wolverhampton 6f hcp (2) in Nov.
Piazon 5-1 (9-5) Slowly away always in rear, 8th of 9, 7l behind Monumental Man (8-11) at Epsom Downs 5f hcp 0-95 (3) gf in Apr.
Top Boy 7-2 (9-8) In touch in 4th, ridden entering final furlong kept on to take 2nd place close home, 2nd of 7, 1/2l behind Red Baron (9-7) at Wolverhampton 5f hcp 0-90 (3) in Apr.
Come On Dave (IRE) 2-1fav (9-4) Quickly away made all, ridden over 1f out, readily, won at Chelmsford City 5f hcp 0-95 (3) pol in Mar beating Doctor Parkes (8-12) by 3/4l, 7 ran.
Cruise Tothelimit (IRE) 18-1 (9-6) Fly jumped start, tracked leaders, ridden and faded inside final furlong, 5th of 7, 4 1/2l behind Red Baron (9-7) at Wolverhampton 5f hcp 0-90 (3) in Apr.