Chester Placepot picks: Paul Kealy's perm for the £100,000 guaranteed pool on Friday

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Having a Placepot banker in a big-field handicap at Chester is dangerous, but you can understand why Respond is a fairly short price for Chester's opener (1.30).

The progressive four-year-old had to be rushed up from a wide draw at Kempton last time and did too much too soon, but he battled on bravely for third in a race that worked out well. From stall two, he's going to be a major player here.

Joulany has easily the best form in the maiden (2.05), although he has the most runs to his name too. That said, this looks fairly weak, so he's a banker for the first two.

I can see an upset in the Huxley (2.35), as Derby winner Lambourn has a bit to prove first time up back in trip, and Bay City Roller is penalised and wants softer ground (some rain forecast but not much).

Karl Burke has two big shouts in Royal Rhyme and Ice Max, while King's Gambit could have run into a top-notcher last time and should go well again.

My two outsiders in the Chester Cup (3.05) are Zanndabad and Chemistry, but you can't ignore the claims of Blindedbythelights and Galileo Dame, who are much better at being placed than they are at winning.

The next (3.40) is only an average handicap for a TV race, but it's very tricky all the same. Tim Easterby has two decent shots in Manila Scouse and course winner Miraculous, while the very much in-form The Good Biscuit has to be feared too.

The Chester Plate (4.10) is a nightmare as the final leg unless Kingstonian improves for the move to Joseph O'Brien, which he could. 

This needs some coverage as well, though, so I'll add Carlton from stall one and Shrimp Shady, who keeps running well and may have more to come back on turf.

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Chester Placepot perm

1.30
6 Respond

2.05
4 Joulany

2.35
3 Ice Max
4 King's Gambit
6 Royal Rhyme

3.05
8 Galileo Dame
11 Zanndabad
13 Chemistry
16 Blindedbythelights

3.40
6 Miraculous
12 Manila Scouse
16 The Good Biscuit

4.10
6 Kingstonian
9 Carlton
10 Shrimp Shady

1 x 1 x 3 x 4 x 3 x 3 = 108 lines

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