Murphy Can Make Montaly A Massive Price

With the English Guineas now behind us it is time for Chester’s May meeting and there’s plenty of Irish interest on the opening day with Golden Spear one of the favourites in the Chester Cup for Tony Martin and Ryan Moore.

Murphy Can Make Montaly A Big Price
Golden Spear could be an obvious winner looking straight at us.

Tony Martin has booked Ryan Moore for a horse that won his last start on the flat and at only six, could easily still be improving. At 7/1 co-favourite, the bookmakers aren’t taking many chances but Golden Spear has failed to land a valuable handicap hurdle like you would have expected over the last few months and maybe Chester and a return to the flat is what will rekindle his winning ways. But a chance is taken on a 16/1 shot instead.

This has been widely deemed as one of the most competitive Chester Cups in many years and Montaly is a horse that could be worth backing at a decent price. Andrew Balding’s charge was campaigned at a high level last year and his penultimate start came without any joy in the Group One Prix Royal Oak, but…

the further he goes the better he seems to be and the 2m2f around here shouldn’t be an issue for him.

Oisin Murphy will hopefully be able to get a nice position early and ride a race from there and if he can repeat his level of form from last summer when he was fifth in the Ascot Stakes and then third at Newbury behind subsequent Cesarewitch winner Sweet Selection, he could well have a big say in this year’s Chester Cup.

O’Brien Won’t Leave Empty-Handed
Don’t expect Aidan O’Brien to leave Chester without notching up a few winners this week. The Cheshire Oaks has been a happy hunting ground for him over the years and Alluringly is hard to ignore on Wednesday.

The three-year-old landed a Tipperary maiden last month and did so in quite good style with almost five lengths to spare over her nearest rival and given the runner-up that day was a fancied Dermot Weld runner with a run under her belt, Alluringly certainly left a lasting impression on most. She looks to tick a lot of boxes.

Yogi To Take Centre Stage
Chester is certainly on my bucket list and just to walk the track would be interesting as it certainly looks to be a unique course which is a fair test to the juveniles that go to post for the opening race of the week over five-furlongs.

There’ll be no hanging around in the Lily Agnes and the David Evans-trained Yogi’s Girl could prove value in the first.

Fillies have quite a reasonable record in the race and Yogi’s Girl looked to be one for the notebook that could have further improvement in her when she won at Windsor last month. While this is a notable step up in grade, there is no reason why she can’t take the leap and deny Mark Johnston a third win in the race in four years as he saddles Emilia James who would look an obvious threat.

Recommended Bets:
Montaly (16/1) – 3.35 Chester
Alluringly (6/4) – 2.25 Chester
Yogi’s Girl (9/2) – 1.50 Chester

*Prices correct at time of publication.