Chelmsford racecourse
Chelmsford racecourse

Free horse racing preview from Jamie Maynard | Chelmsford tips


After a 20/1 winner on Thursday made it two profitable previews from two this week, don't miss Jamie Maynard's best bets for Chelmsford on Friday.

5.45 preview

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The first race on tonight’s card is over the minimum trip with plenty in with chances.

The veteran Swendab bids for an all-weather hat-trick having scored over this distance both at Wolverhampton recently. He’s now running off a 5lb higher mark and is upped in grade for this but does have the added bonus of a stall one draw.

Bahamian Heights has posted a couple of good efforts recently, scoring here in November before finishing a close second at Kempton. Both of those runs however were over six furlongs and the drop in trip might see him struggle to speedier sorts.

The three-year old Berryessa has already won a couple of times on the synthetics - he was only beaten a length in fifth place the last day and looks the main danger racing off the same mark, but the suggestion is Joseph Tuite’s five-year old ZIPEDEEDODAH.

All seven of his career wins to date have come over this five-furlong trip (one of which was at this course) and he’ll be hoping to add an eighth to that tally tonight.

He’s dropped in class after finishing less than two lengths off the winner when fifth at Lingfield a fortnight ago and the handicapper has eased him 2lb in the ratings. He seems to run his best races on the all-weather, has a nice low draw and Nicola Currie is able to claim 5lb, all reasons to believe he can go close.

8.45 preview

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I wait till the last race of the day for my second and final selection of the evening and it comes in a tight-looking handicap over seven furlongs.

Queens Royal has a wide draw to overcome but if breaking well and able to get to the front this filly could run another good race having already won twice over this distance and in the grade.

Jane Chapple-Hyam saddles the hat-trick seeking Loveatfirstsight who, after a couple of poor efforts in her first two starts for the yard, has managed to pull something new out the locker by doubling up and she’s only gone up 3lb for that latest success. She's is in good heart and could still be on the upgrade.

The choice though is grade-dropping DASHING POET for Heather Main, who was fourth over this trip at Lingfield on Wednesday.

She notched up a quickfire double in March over the minimum but has since shown that the step up in trip isn’t a problem, having scored over a mile at Lingfield and finished a close second over today's seven-furlong trip.

She’s had two previous visits to this track, one was a two-and-a-half-length victory and the other was a third, beaten a length-and-a-half.

There looks as if there will be plenty of pace on show too which will suit this daughter of Poet’s Voice and the fact she’s been turned out so quickly after her last race may suggest that connections feel she’s on the cusp of a fourth career success. She looks set for a big run.

Recommended bets

1pt win Zipedeedodah 5.45 Chelmsford at 5/1

1pt e.w. Dashing Poet 8.45 Chelmsford at 7/1

Posted at 0725 GMT on 08/12/17.

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