Chester Friday 7th May

Going through today’s cards was one of those horrible occasions where I seemed to fancy something in almost every race, only to look at the movement of the overnight prices, and realise that everyone else did too!

As a consequence, many of the prices have moved too far south to be thinking of a bet, but if you were that way inclined, and wanted to combine a few in a fancy each-way multiple, then I wouldn’t put you off including any of these: Revich – Chester 1.45, An Tailliur – Market Rasen 3.05, Jonah Jones – Ascot 3.30, Amalfi Coast – Cork 4.45, Intrinsic Bond – Ripon 6.50.

With also an honourable mention for Porsche Cavalier, also in the opening race at Cork at 4.45, who is a more appealing price and can be backed each-way at 6/1. He ran a huge race on debut at Tipperary on the wrong part of the track, and pulled clear on his side with one other horse, who has since bolted up on their next start. If it wasn’t for the looming presence of Amalfi Coast, who suffered a luckless run on his debut, then I would be recommending Porsche Cavalier at the prices.

However, the each-way bet of the day comes from the third day of the Boodles Chester May Festival in the Tote+ Chester Plate at 4.20, in the shape of Green Book, who is available at 17/2 with William Hill for five places.

Green Book comes into the race with a very different profile to many. Having had just the one start for Venetia Williams in a juvenile hurdle, where he chased home the subsequent improver Herbiers, he is now pitched into a valuable handicap on his flat debut for a trainer who has only ever had seven flat winners in her illustrious career.

Stall 2 and the booking of Franny Norton are clear and obvious positives, and it’s worth noting that when trained by Brian Ellison as a two-year-old he was very much campaigned as a future stayer, mixing it with some of the better stayers to emerge out of that particular two-year-old crop.

Green Book could easily be on a very lenient handicap mark, and at 17/2 each-way for five places with William Hill, he is very much worth supporting, in the belief that Chester maestro Franny Norton will give us a good run for our money.