Chelmsford best bet: War In Heaven to hit ground running after summer break

19:00 Chelmsford: Racecourse Membership Now Available Handicap (7 furlongs) 

Sitting on top of the betting market and the ratings is Richard Hannon’s promising four-year-old gelding Ehraz, who was last seen coming a respectable third in the Constantine Heritage Handicap at York last month, and who is expected to dominate his polytrack debut here.

Looking to scupper those claims is the equally well-fancied Kinta, who kickstarted his career with back-to-back-successes last summer, and is hoping to hit the ground running under William Buick after an 11-month lay-off.

However, most eye-catching all the remaining 11 runners, and carrying an enticing price to boot, is Michael Appleby’s all-weather specialist War In Heaven, who has won six of his eight 2023 outings on artificial surfaces. 

Planet Sport Bet: Bet £20+ cash on any runner in the race and if War In Heaven finishes in the first 4 places, get a £5 Free Bet!

Kicking off the year with four straight victories over longer 9.5-furlong trips at Wolverhampton, this useful four-year-old bounced back from an unsuccessful foray over Redcar’s turf in May to land back-at-back successes at this venue on his last two outings earlier in the summer.

Both were hard-earned wins, particularly his neck victory ahead of ten rivals over this seven-furlong trip last time out in early July over an unfamiliar one-mile trip.

Now returning from a well-earned 74-day break, hopes are high that he can continue his successful partnership with Alistair Rawlinson, who has managed to accrue a profitable return from his 263 rides this season (32 winners, plus 47 places).

The in-form Appleby yard has saddled five winners from their last 17 runners, including Andromeda's Kingdom at Beverley on Wednesday, so hopes are high that War In Heaven arrives in similar good shape.

Suggested bet: War In Heaven each-way in the 19:00 at Chelmsford

Tip advised by The Quest on Tipstrr