Turf Talk - Chase The Dollar investors aim to cash in at Chester

Mark Johnston’s juvenile made his experience count last time at Ayr when just getting the better of debutant Pythagoras - a subsequent Beverley winner this week.

Chase The Dollar prevailed by a neck at his second attempt, having previously failed to justify his odds-on status as a well-beaten runner-up at Musselburgh. The winner has not run since, but third home Broxi twice returned to the same track last month to defy long odds by scoring both times while the fourth, Innse Gall, has since won at Ripon. On that basis, off an opening mark of 78, Chase The Dollar has obvious prospects - with the extra half-furlong at another sharp track likely to suit him fine.

An hour later, Kindly may go off at a generous price in a competitive division one of the Chester Rugby Club Handicap. Mick Easterby’s consistent mare is up another 2lb for her head defeat at Pontefract at the end of last month.

She is in fine form, though, and worth a shot at this drop back to the minimum distance - having shown plenty of speed to get to the front last time before just failing to hold on up the hill against a younger rival who has since run with credit off a higher rating.

Highwaygrey is another who arrives here on the back of winning Pontefract form. It is not an obvious manoeuvre to head from the stiff West Yorkshire course to this speedier test, and Highwaygrey is up more than a stone for three Ponte successes in his four starts so far this season.

Nonetheless, he has raced freely in his victories and had matters settled a fair way out - so the marginal step up in trip here in the School Of Hard Knocks Handicap could work out just fine.

Tim Easterby could find no suitable opportunity this time for Highwaygrey on the nine-race card at Pontefract - but there are several others of note in action there.

Among them, Ancient Times appears to have plenty going for him in the opening British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Stakes.

Kevin Ryan’s juvenile ran with plenty of promise to be a length-and-a-half third on his York debut over this minimum trip last month.

He was behind a beaten odds-on shot and a shock winner, who has gone on to prove it was no fluke by scoring again at Beverley since.

Ancient Times should improve but may not have to in order to get off the mark at his second attempt.

Division one of the Mary Clark “Favourite Day Of The Year” Handicap could go the way of Foreshore, who appears to have flourished this season - following wind surgery - and has twice finished an honourable runner-up in three attempts.

A reproduction of the form that resulted in a neck second at Doncaster last time should put him in the mix here.

Breath Of Joy is a filly in good heart this summer, and she can prove it in the William Hill Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap.

Hollie Doyle rides for her new retained owner and Amy Murphy, and another victory can help cement the arrangement.

The feature race is the Listed EBF Highfield Farm Flying Fillies’ Stakes, in which Magical Journey catches the eye as a likely improver.

James Tate’s three-year-old was a Listed runner-up at Newmarket last November, following a debut novice victory.

After failing to match strides with the classy Art Power first time out at Newcastle this season, she had to settle for the runner-up spot in handicap company at Haydock.

Her clued-up connections clearly think she is capable of better, though, and this is her chance to vindicate their opinion.

SOBOT’S SELECTIONS

CHEPSTOW: 4.35 Sammy Sunshine, 5.05 Bobby On The Beat, 5.35 Velvet Vista, 6.05 Princely, 6.35 Top Secret, 7.05 Zapper Cass, 7.35 French Riviera, 8.05 Retrospect.

CHESTER: 1.40 Sands In Time, 2.10 Bergerac, 2.40 CHASE THE DOLLAR (NAP), 3.10 Arcanada, 3.40 Kindly, 4.10 Militia, 4.40 Highwaygrey (next best), 5.10 Midrarr, 5.40 Deposit.

LINGFIELD: 4.25 Evaporust, 4.55 Arctic Sea, 5.25 Percy Toplis, 5.55 Lost In Space, 6.25 Alpine Springs, 6.55 Redemptive, 7.25 Raaed, 7.55 Terri Rules.

PONTEFRACT: 12.15 Ancient Times, 12.45 Keeping Secrets, 1.15 Foreshore, 1.45 Lincoln Gamble, 2.20 Breath Of Joy, 2.50 Magical Journey, 3.20 Revolver, 3.50 Tawreed, 4.20 Prince Imperial.

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