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A MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR- SATURDAY 27 MAY 2023

Good Afternoon,

Welcome to the Tote Roman Day, a fixture that celebrates our rich heritage and the history of our beautiful city. As one of our most popular race meetings for families, today is set to be a great day for all age ranges to enjoy, with fun activities, a chariot stunt show and of course thrilling racing on the Roodee.

Today we have seven races on the card. The day’s excitement will begin at 2:20pm with the Tote £250K Guaranteed Placepot Every Saturday Novice Stakes. Later in the day we’ll get to see the feature race at 4:05pm, The Tote.co.uk Bet £5 Get £20 Handicap Stakes. Before the day finally draws to a close at 5:45pm with The Roman Day Community Zone Handicap Stakes.

I’d like to extend my thanks to today’s sponsors. Tote, who are long-standing supporters of the racecourse and who are supporting three of our races here today Net World Sports who have provided some brilliant free activities for children to enjoy throughout their day on the Open Course. The Chester Heritage Festival who are doing such important work to celebrate and educate on the history of our home city And British EBF, who have contributed over £31.5million into the sport since 1983 Everyone here at Chester Racecourse is grateful for the support of all our sponsors.

Don’t forget, we have several events and activities taking place today We have the world-renowned Devil’s Horsemen, with shows at 12.30pm and 1.45pm, archery, and much more. Head out to the Open Course to explore everything on offer, free of charge for racegoers.

We next race here at Chester on 17 June for the Edinburgh Gin Summer Saturday Tickets are available to book online, and I hope we can welcome you back to Chester Racecourse.

Ian O’Doherty Chair

1. Colours Graphic - a visual of the Owners

Silks that the Jockey will be wearing

2. Horse’s number on saddlecloth

3. Colour and sex of horse: B - Bay Br - Brown h - horse Ch - Chesnut c - colt (followed by Sire and Dam) g - gelding Gr - Grey f - filly m - mare Ro - Roan

4. Horse’s name

5. Birthplace of horse if not born in Great Britain

6. Number of day’s since horse last ran

7. Details of horse’s previous performances: Bold type indicates All-Weather Track form / denotes new season - denotes new year

C - The horse has won on this racecourse

D - The horse has won over this distance

CD - The horse has won over a race over this course and distance

BF - The horse was a beaten favourite on its last run

8. Age of horse

Official Bha Ratings

9. Weight the horse carries (stones and pounds)

10.Draw

11 Owner’s Name(s)

12. Breeder

13 Trainer’s Name and location of training establishment

14.A guide to the horse’s recent form and star rating. Each horse has been given a star rating, these are defined below:

HHHHH Selected to win the race.

HHHHI Good chance of being placed.

HHHII By no means out of the reckoning but at least one or two hold stronger claims

HHIII Unlikely to win but not totally without hope.

HIIII Can be given little or no chance.

15 Jockey’s photo If there is a number next to the name, this indicates that the jockey can claim that amount in weight (lbs) off the stated riding weight

The BHA Handicappers allot ratings to horses once they have taken part in a sufficient number of races to enable the Handicappers to make a numerical assessment of each horse’s ability

The principal purpose of the ratings is to determine the weight to be carried by each runner in handicap races, with the Handicappers aiming to provide each participant with an equal chance based on its best recent form under its optimum conditions.

A horse rated 100, for example, would be set to carry 1lb more than a horse rated 99 (ignoring any penalties or allowances).

The ratings published in the racecard for handicap races are the ratings that were used to calculate the weight to be carried by each horse, whilst in non-handicaps races the rating shown is that of each runner at the time that the entries for the race were confirmed. Any subsequently published change to a rating, either up or down, is shown in brackets following the rating.

ON COURSE BETTING & HOW TO READ THE RACECARD

Ways To Bet

WIN ONLY The most common form of bet You win if your horse is first past the post. Example: £5 win at 8/1 would return £45 (8 x £5 = £40 + £5 stake)

EACH WAY Backing a horse to win or be placed. This doubles your bet for example: £5 each way = £5 to win and £5 for a place = £10 total stake

Standard Each Way Terms

In conjunction with The RCA, the bookmakers have introduced standard each-way terms. Bookmakers will provide these terms, or better, when offering each-way betting

• Fewer than 4 runners - all on to win

• 5

7 runnewrs (inclusive)

1/4 odds a place 1,2

• 8 or more runners – 1/5 odds a place 1,2,3

• Handicaps with 12 to 15 runners (inclusive) – 1/4 odds a place 1,2,3

• Handicaps with 16 to 21 runners (inclusive) – 1/5 odds a place 1,2,3,4

• Handicaps with 22 or more runners – 1/4 odds a place 1,2,3,4

Some bookmakers also offer ‘betting without the favourite’, where you can back your selection at reduced odds to either win or finish second to the horse nominated by the bookmaker as favourite. You may bet with confidence with any bookmaker on course as they operate with Administration Of Gambling On Tracks Ltd. (AGT) approval. In the unlikely event of a dispute with a bookmaker please call upon the assistance of the AGT Betting Ring Manager, who can be found on the ground floor of the Grandstand Enclosure. The AGT also offers a ‘late pay’ service in case the bookmaker leaves the course before you have collected your winnings. Late pay claims should be sent to: AGT, 3A Kings Hall, Parsons Green, St Ives, Cambridgeshire, PE27 4WY.

Placing A Bet

Experiencing the buzz of the betting ring may be a little daunting at first, but you will soon find it is very easy to place a bet. Here are some guidelines for racegoers to follow:

1. Each bookmaker will be offering slightly different prices, so shop around for the best odds against your selection.

2. Call your bet clearly to the bookmaker by stating the name and / or number of your chosen horse and the stake

3. Listen to the bookmaker repeat your bet to his / her clerk and correct him immediately if any details are called wrongly

4. Make sure you obtain a ticket from the bookmaker and keep it safe.

5. If your selection wins, hand the ticket back to the bookmaker for settlement. Never destroy or dispose of your ticket until after the “Weighed in” announcement has been made Betting with the bookmaker is tax-free. Deductions are made only if a horse is withdrawn after the betting market has been formed

Please check the minimum stake accepted by each bookmaker on his display board Some bookmakers do not take sums under £5, especially in the main betting ring, but there will be others who are happy to accept £2 bets. Please tender the correct change when possible.

Andrew Balding has won the last three renewals of this, suggesting a big run from Alsakib, who was second at Kempton last month when keeping on well over 7f to be beaten just half a length. He may prove a huge danger to ORCHID BLOOM, who strolled home in a decent novice event at Newmarket in October and appeared the sort to do even better this season. The rest look closely matched, with O G Beachwear the pick for third.

WIN: ORCHID BLOOM

DANGER: ALSAKIB

Battaah has an experience edge in this field after a third at Doncaster was followed by a second at the same track, but he was a place behind SIOUX WARRIOR when they both debuted on Town Moor and, on this better ground, that form should be confirmed. Havanarama may prove best of the Hugo Palmer pair and is another to consider assuming nominal improvement after his promising fourth here.

WIN: SIOUX WARRIOR

DANGER: BATTAAH

ROCK CHANT has been in great form all year, with three wins over this sort of trip on the all-weather, and although only third at Doncaster last time out, he may bounce back to form on this quicker surface. Infiniti is coming down the handicap and could rediscover some sparkle, but Scottish Dancer looks a bigger danger after his one-length second at Thirsk on his first start for Keith Dalgleish.

WIN: ROCK CHANT

DANGER: SCOTTISH DANCER

Plenty of the key protagonists in this raced against each other over C&D earlier in the month, with RED MIRAGE finishing strongly to grab fourth. John Quinn’s charge was short of room when trying to mount his challenge on that occasion and that perhaps cost him third, with Percy’s Lad filling that position. He gets the nod, while the consistent Boardman was also involved in the blanket finish for the minor money and should be bang there again.

WIN: RED MIRAGE

DANGER: PERCY’S LAD

ROYAL DRESS has improved with every run and is fancied to stamp her authority on this field. Richard Hannon’s filly runs off the same mark as when beaten two lengths into third over C&D, with the winner since coming out and franking the form with aplomb at Haydock on Thursday Surprise Wolverhampton scorer Absolutelyflawless is back at the scene of last year’s Lily Agnes success, while Distinguished Lady also has a squeak.

WIN: ROYAL DRESS

DANGER: ABSOLUTELYFLAWLESS

Few jockeys ride this track better than Franny Norton and he partners a likely type in PERFECT PLAY here. A Carlisle novice event winner last term, he shaped really well in defeat at Beverley over this trip on his return and looks capable of winning off his present mark. We Could Be Heroes and Orange Martini should also come on for their recent reappearances and look feasibly treated.

WIN: PERFECT PLAY

DANGER: WE COULD BE HEROES

Greystoke advertised his present well-being with a smooth triumph over C&D (The Nu Form Way behind in third) but the combination of a higher mark and faster ground may leave him vulnerable Demilion is an obvious alternative after a narrow defeat over track and trip last time but it may pay to take a chance on this return to 1m4f sparking WYNTER WILDES back to life off a falling mark.

WIN: WYNTER WILDES

DANGER: DEMILION