Fifth Race 7.00pm

THE CHELMSFORD CITY RACECOURSE MEMBERSHIP AVAILABLE HANDICAP STAKES (CLASS 4)

for three yrs old and upwards x Total race value £13000 Owners Prize Money. 1st £5291, 2nd £2645, 3rd £1323, 4th £661, 5th £240, 6th £240. (Penalty Value £6696)

colours no horse age st- lb Draw

BETS AVAILABLE ON THIS RACE

CITY SELECTIONS There could be more to come from Chief Of Staff over this distance after opening his account on the all-weather at Wolverhampton, with a 2lb rise looking potentially lenient. However, SPRING IS SPRUNG just edges the verdict now dropped in trip after failing to see the 7f out at Lingfield, and he’s now only 1lb higher than for his January success at Southwell. Aramis Grey and Astro Jakk rate best of the remainder.

SPRING IS SPRUNG

CHIEF OF STAFF Leading course trainer (17-22): S bin Suroor (40 wins from 178 runners, 22%) runs CHIEF OF STAFF Trainer-in-form (last 14 days): D O’Meara (3 wins from 48 runners, 6%) runs BELLE FOURCHE Weightwatcher: ASTRO JAKK won off a handicap mark of 88, his rating is now down 8lb to 80. Longest Traveller: BELLE FOURCHE trained by D O’Meara, Upper Helmsley, 205 miles.

Br Breeding O Owner B Breeder J Jockey T Trainer S Sponsor

1 NEPTUNIAN (IRE) (23) 1-36105 D 3 9-11 (5)

Br B c Prince of Lir (IRE) - Empress Theodora Harry Davies (3) J

O Aquis Farm & Manton Park

Freddie & Martyn Meade, Manton T B Philip & Orla Hore Hadleigh Business Jets S TIMEFORM VIEW Latest win at Windsor in July. Respectable fifth of 14 in handicap (16/1) at Newcastle (5f) 23 days ago. Much respected on his polytrack debut. TFRHHHII BHA85 2 TOTAL COMMITMENT (IRE) (14) 002050 D 6 9-11 (4)

Br B g Exceed And Excel (AUS) - Crysdal O P C F Racing Ltd Adam Farragher (5) J Simon Hodgson, Hook T

B Watership Down Stud TIMEFORM VIEW Sixteen runs since last win in 2021. 16/1, eleventh of 16 in handicap at Haydock (6f, good) 14 days ago. Cheekpieces back on with more needed. TFRHHIII BHA84 3 ARAMIS GREY (IRE) (37) 153024 CD

Br Gr m Gutaifan (IRE) - Sveva (IRE) O The Musketeers 5 9-10 (6)

Callum Shepherd J Rae Guest, Newmarket T B Denis & David McDonnell Keystone Law S TIMEFORM VIEW C&D winner. Latest win at Windsor in May. 7/1, creditable fourth of 11 in handicap at Windsor (6f, good to firm) 37 days ago. Needs considering. TFRHHHII BHA83 4 HELLO ME (IRE) (25) 554640 CD 4 9-9 (3)

Br B f Mehmas (IRE) - Safe Place (USA) Rhys Clutterbuck (3) J

O Martley Hall Stud Ltd. Joseph Parr, Newmarket T

B Belmont B/S Ltd & David Ryan TIMEFORM VIEW C&D winner but she came in last of 8 in handicap (14/1) at Yarmouth (6f, good) 25 days ago. Needs to bounce back. TFRHHHII BHA82 5 SPRING IS SPRUNG (FR) (60) 130364 D

Br B g Oasis Dream - Kinematic O The King B The Queen 3 9-8 (9)

Neil Callan J Michael Bell, Newmarket T

TIMEFORM VIEW 12/1, good fourth of 8 in handicap at Lingfield (7f, AW) 60 days ago. Ought to be in the shake-up. TFRHHHHI BHA82

6 STOCKPYLE (GB) (40) 411006

Br B c Oasis Dream - La Pyle (FR) O La Pyle Partnership B Knox & Wells Limited & R. Devlin 3 9-7 (2)

Lewis Edmunds J William Muir & Chris Grassick, Lambourn T K & W Bloodstock Limited S TIMEFORM VIEW Latest win at Wolverhampton in July. Last of 6 in handicap (4/1) at Chepstow (7.1f, good to firm) 40 days ago. Makes polytrack debut. Blinkers on for 1st time with work to do. TFRHHIII BHA81 7 ASTRO JAKK (IRE) (9) 440003 D 6 9-7 (8)

Br B g Zoffany (IRE) - By The Edge (IRE) O Harraton Court Stables Ltd Liam Wright (7) J Darryll Holland, Newmarket T

B F. Finnegan, B. Finnegan & P. Callan TIMEFORM VIEW Curragh 6f maiden winner but only twelfth of 13 in handicap at Naas (5.9f, soft, 25/1) 98 days ago on her final run for Michael O’Callaghan. Tongue strap on 1st time and not discounted for her new yard. TFRHHHII BHA78 9 CHIEF OF STAFF (GB) (18) 260201 D 4 9-3 (7)

Br B g Dark Angel (IRE) - Patroness O Godolphin

Kieran O’Neill J Saeed bin Suroor, Newmarket T B Godolphin Emirates Fly Better S TIMEFORM VIEW Dropped in trip and posted a career best when winning 11-runner handicap (7/2) at Lingfield (6f, AW) 18 days ago. Nudged up only 2lb so another bold showing is on the cards. TFRHHHHH BHA76

DECLARED RUNNERS 9 2021: TRUMBLE (IRE) 3 9 2 Daniel Muscutt 16-1 (David Loughnane) 9 ran Blinkers worn first time by No. 6. Tongue Strap worn first time by No. 8. Blinkers worn by No. 7. Sheepskin Cheek Pieces worn by No. 2, 4, 9. Stewards Note: HELLO ME: Following its run on 13/9/2022 it was reported that the horse ran too freely.

Probable S.P’s: 11-4 Chief of Staff (GB), 5-1 Aramis Grey (IRE), 6-1 Astro Jakk (IRE), 10-1 Neptunian (IRE), 11-1 Spring Is Sprung (FR), 12-1 Stockpyle (GB), Belle Fourche (IRE), 16-1 Total Commitment (IRE), 20-1 Hello Me (IRE)

PLAY SMARTER CHIEF OF STAFF proved well suited by dropping back to 6f when scoring at Lingfield last time so is fancied to make light of a 2lb rise in the weights here. Spring Is Sprung is next on the list on the back of his good fourth at the same track, with C&D winner Aramis Grey and polytrack-debutant Neptunian not taken lightly either in an open handicap.

TIMEFORM PREDICTION: 1.CHIEF OF STAFF 2.SPRING IS SPRUNG (FR) 3.ARAMIS GREY (IRE)

RACE RESULT TIME:

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