Six horses who will be suited by soft ground on Friday at Chester

The going at Chester changed to soft, heavy in places on Thursday and it is expected to stay that way for the final day of the May meeting on Friday. 

On Thursday we identified Ormonde Stakes winner Hamish as one who would enjoy the testing conditions and here we highlight more horses who will relish the testing conditions . . .

Ffion

1.30 Friday: CAA Stellar Earl Grosvenor Handicap

The Dave Loughnane-trained mare is not only a Chester specialist (two from two at the track), but she also loves soft ground. She has two wins and three places from five runs with soft in the going description and will be well suited to conditions.

The draw has not been kind, however, as she has been handed stall 12, which makes her task all the more difficult on Friday.

Ffion13:30 Chester

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Jky: Hollie Doyle Tnr: David Loughnane

Foxes Tales

2.40 Friday: IRE-Incentive, It Pays To Buy Irish Huxley Stakes

Foxes Tales all set for the Huxley StakesCredit: Mark Cranham

Two from two on soft ground, Foxes Tales is clearly well suited by some juice in the ground. His one effort on the Roodee saw him finish fifth in the 2021 running of the Dee Stakes. Far from the finished article that day, he has improved considerably since with wins at Ascot, Haydock and most recently a three-length success at Kempton.

Gelded over the winter, he has looked much more professional in his two races this season and with conditions to suit, this strong-travelling sort should be well suited by this track.

Foxes Tales14:40 Chester

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Jky: Oisin Murphy Tnr: Andrew Balding

Metier

3.15 Friday: Tote Chester Cup (Heritage Handicap)

Soft ground is crucial for Metier. Indeed, connections have never run the son of Mastercraftsman on turf without some form of cut underfoot. The softer the better it would seem as he's won four from six starts on heavy ground.

Three of those wins came over hurdles, but the other one was in last year's November Handicap at Doncaster. He's 8lb higher here, but he finished a close second at Musselburgh off 3lb lower which suggests this new mark is within reach now upped further in trip.

Metier15:15 Chester

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Jky: Saffie Osborne Tnr: Harry Fry

Call My Bluff

3.15 Friday: Tote Chester Cup (Heritage Handicap)

Call My Bluff all set for Cup runCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Dominic Ffrench Davis is operating at a 22 per cent strike-rate for 2023 and Call My Bluff has been a flag bearer for the yard in recent seasons.

The six-year-old gelding is three from nine with soft in the going description and has a win, a second and a third from just three starts at Chester. The third came in the Chester Plate, the consolation race for horses who are balloted out of the Chester Cup, off 3lb lower last season.

He warmed up for this with a second at Newbury to Novel Legend, who is a warm favourite for Plate having been balloted out of the Chester Cup, and that form looks solid.

Call My Bluff15:15 Chester

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Jky: J F Egan Tnr: Dominic Ffrench Davis

Aqwaam

4.20 Friday: White Oak Apprentice Handicap

Still lightly raced with just ten starts to his name, his two efforts on soft ground have resulted in a win and a place.

He has only run once at the track, when an unlucky sixth in a 7½f novice, a performance which can be marked up as he was hampered at a crucial stage.

The Ian Williams-trained five-year-old certainly offered plenty to suggest he appreciated the twists and turns of the Roodee. Connections add cheekpieces for the first time here, which could squeeze more improvement out.

Aqwaam16:20 Chester

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Jky: Saffie Osborne Tnr: Ian Williams

Justus

4.55 Chester: tote Fantasy, Whos In Your Stable Chester Plate Handicap

The Ian Williams-trained five-year-old has only had four encounters with soft ground, resulting in form figures of 2161, and showed his liking for those conditions when romping home by nine and a half lengths at Doncaster last month.

The sixth can be forgiven as he was reappearing off a 178-day break – he's never run well after a break of more than 62 days – and this has clearly been the target as he was a non-runner when this race was run on good ground last year.

He's 5lb well-in under a 3lb penalty (he's been raised to a mark of 80 after his last win) and the first-time visor could elicit more improvement.

Justus16:55 Chester

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Jky: Dougie Costello Tnr: Ian Williams

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