Action-packed racing at Chester on Saturday with Novice Stakes opener

Summer Saturday racing is on the cards at Chester racecourse this weekend for the second meeting of the week at the world’s oldest racecourse.

Saturday’s card gets underway at 1.35 with novice stakes over the six furlong trip before the action-packed meeting rounds off at 5.35 with a class five handicap in division two.

Some potential stars of the future could be on show in race one of Chester’s Saturday card (1.35) with the novice stakes for two-year-old’s and 12 runners will be heading to the stall to get things underway. Asktheboss showed he had plenty in the tank when fourth on debut at York last month and that should play into his hands at Chester, so is taken to get off the mark ahead of Death Or Glory, who rallied well to finish second at Hamilton on debut having missed the break at the start.

Race two on Chester’s card (2.10) sees three-time course and distance winner Copper Knight bid for a fourth success at the track for trainer Tim Easterby and arrives in some good form having placed in a class two contest at York on his last spin. Dickieburd, who has top jockey Hollie Doyle on board, rates as the main danger and won here a couple of years back, plus is lurking off a tempting mark this time around.

The third race on Saturday afternoon is an 11-runner handicap in class three over the 1m2f trip at 2.45. Hosanna Power doesn’t have many miles on the clock for a four-year-old and is taken to get the victory here for trainer Sir Michael Stoute, arriving off a handicap win at Newbury last time out to boot.

Race four (3.20) is an incredibly competitive-looking seven furlong handicap in class two and 14 runners will tackle the race worth £60,000 in prize money. Teraab has landed the best stall draw in one and that could well prove to be the difference, looking to bounce back from a midfield finish at Ascot last time out. The William Haggas-trained Monfrid is worth a look as well, a dual-winner on the all-weather last season who then landed a Catterick novice contest in May and also has a helpful draw at Chester. Sailthisshipalone and Burdett could go well – the latter winning not too long ago at Thirsk.

Plenty are in with a chance in race five of Chester’s card – the 1m7f class four handicap at 3.55. Of the 13 runners in the field, preference is for Rich Belief, who was unlucky over course and distance three weeks ago having been shuffled down the pack. Race six (4.30) can go the way of Mythical Phoenix for trainer Julie Camacho off the back of two second place finishes at Thirsk and Doncaster.

The penultimate race on Chester’s Saturday card sees ten runners head to the start for division one of the class five handicap (5.05) which can go the way of Dreams Adozen, a previous course winner and was a good third of six at Nottingham last time out. Finally, the card comes to a close with division two of the saame discipline and the selection in the finale (5.35) is for Oman, who has made a fine start since switching to the Tony Carroll team with a first at second at this track on his last two starts.

Chester selections – Saturday (via Betfair)

1.35 – Asktheboss

2.10 – Copper Knight

2.45 – Hosanna Power

3.20 – Teraab

3.55 – Rich Belief

4.30 – Mythical Phoenix

5.05 – Dreams Adozen

5.35 – Oman