Ed Quigley, aka ‘Longshot Ted’ has scanned his expert eye over the first couple of days of Chester’s May Festival, and serves up his value bets.
Chester May Festival Wednesday advice:
(3.15) – Arrest, win – find at BetVictor
(4.45) – Broken Spear, win – find at Grosvenor Casinos
Chester May Festival Thursday advice:
(1.30) – Look Out Louis, win – find at Spreadex
(3.15) – Laafi, win – find at William Hill
Wednesday 3.15 – Arrest
The Gosden team and Frankie Dettori team up with Arrest, who can strike now upped to 1m4f for the first time in the Group 3 Chester Vase. The 3-year-old created a good impression when staying on well up the Sandown hill to win over 1m back in August, and then followed that up with a facile success at Ffos Las a month later.
He rounded off his Juvenile campaign when thrown in the deep end, tackling Group 1 company over 10f in France – and only just failed, as he was beaten on the line. This step up in trip should suit, and any rain that arrives on the Roodee won’t be an inconvenience to him. He’s an individual with plenty of potential, and can announce himself as a contender for the Epsom Derby with a strong showing here.
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Wednesday 4.45 – Broken Spear
We are over 7f for this Handicap, where a return to Chester for the 7-year-old Broken Spear could be just the tonic needed for the gelding to get back in the winners enclosure. He saves his best form for this meeting, demonstrated by the fact he won this assignment in 2021 off a mark of 85. 12 months ago, he was 4th in this corresponding contest where he fluffed the start and was always on the backfoot from the get-go and probably went down as an unlucky loser and that was off a mark of 84.
So here we are again – groundhog day. For the 2023 renewal, Broken Spear runs off 80 – he looks very well handicapped, will enjoy the forecast rain, and perhaps crucially this time around, he has the plumb draw in stall 1. A low draw on the Roodee always helps, so connections won’t be complaining about the hand they have been dealt here. Arriving on the back of a narrow defeat at Leicester over 6f, he has had the perfect tune up for this, and I’m finding it hard to knock him out of the frame.
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Thursday 1.30 – Look Out Louis
If Look Out Louis takes his chance in this once again, then the defending Champion could prove a tough nut to crack on this occasion. Julie Camacho’s 7-year-old got the job done in this race 12 months ago, and has an outstanding record at this venue. He has registered three wins from four visits to the track, and boasts an unblemished record of two wins from two starts over this specific trip and track.
One would imagine this has been the target for sometime, and can get back in the winners enclosure once again with Barry McHugh in the saddle. One note of caution would be a really wide draw and lots of rain, but that aside, this individual is ticking a lot of the right boxes.
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Thursday 2.40 – Laafi
Laafi needed every tard of the extended 1m at Nottingham last October, and looks tailor made for the step up to 10f for the Dee Stakes at Chester on Thursday. William Haggas and Tom Marquand are likely to team up with this son of Cloth Of Stars who can thrive now upped in trip.
The ground at Nottingham was hard work, and he powered through it, so if the rains arrive at Chester it may inconvenience more of his rivals than it will do him. In time, it is easy to see him over 12f, but for this looks the ideal race. If William Haggas gives him the green light for this then he has to be respected.
Don’t forget Ed will be back on Saturday for his next edition of Ted’s Bets on Saturday where he will be providing his best bets for all the top action.
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