Chester Plate best bets: Yorkindness and Dreams Adozen can hit ground running for Charlie Johnston

16:15 Chester:  Duke Of Westminster Supporting The Chester Plate Handicap (2 miles 2½ furlongs)

At the top of the betting, one of Hamsiyann or Prince Alex look likely to be sent off as favourite, with the latter looking to build on an impressive win at Newbury three weeks ago, when the manner in which the seven-year-old drove out to victory suggested that he can overcome his subsequent penalty here.

Both market leaders hold realistic claims, but can equally quite easily be opposed at those short odds in a race of this nature, and better value might be found elsewhere.

Havaila finished a creditable second on stable debut six days ago, and could be useful under Ben Coen if none the worse for the quick turnaround, while Alphonse Le Grande appears to have been saved for this since landing a 14-runner handicap at Dundalk in March, and the booking of William Buick could prove significant.

Planet Sport Bet Daily Special: Bet £20+ cash on any runner in the race and if Dreams Adozen finishes in the first 4 places, get a £5 Free Bet

Beyond the six market leaders, the remaining 11 starters are all available at various double-digit prices, and with five places widely available (as many as six in some quarters), there appears to be plenty of each-way value to be considered.

Itsgoodtolaugh finished third in this race 12 months ago and after also finishing second in two subsequent visits to this venue during last summer, Jennie Candlish’s seven-year-old could well be in the final shake-up at decent odds.

However, catching the attention of Tipstrr’s each-way specialists are the two runners of Charlie Johnston, both of whom look favourably priced at around the 11/1 mark.

Five-year-old Yorkindness marked a busy 2023 campaign with five wins and three places from 15 outings, with all of those successes coming over trips of two miles or more.

The mare's mark inevitably climbed 17 pounds during that successful season, and she remains on the same career-high rating of 83 that she carried when coming a respectable fourth of nine in the Watergate Cup in testing conditions at this venue last time out in September.

She should be better suited by the drop in trip over much better ground on Friday, and if she is tuned up as expected for her season debut then she must merit consideration under regular jockey Joe Fanning, whose impressive 20 percent win rate this season climbs to 30 percent (53% place rate) from his last 30 rides at Chester.

Suggested each-way bet: Yorkindness in the 16:15 at Chester

• Tip advised by OPAL Horses on Tipstrr

Her stablemate Dreams Adozen is also making her seasonal reappearance six months after finishing a productive 2023 season that saw her string together impressive numbers of 223211221 during her busy summer.

Three of those runs were around the Chester circuit, including the last of her three wins, and although yet to prove herself over this longer trip, the manner in which she won here by such an emphatic 15-length margin over 14 furlongs of heavy ground that day suggests that she has a few more furlongs in her locker.

Still just four years old, the young filly was far from disgraced when last seen at Newmarket in November, finishing third of nine over two miles of testing ground, with the re-opposing Havaila a significant nine lengths behind in fourth.

Usual rider Joe Fanning has opted for Yorkindness in this, which leaves the capable Franny Norton in the filly’s saddle, and only time will tell which jockey has landed on the better side of that decision. 

Next best each-way bet: Dreams Adozen in the 16:15 at Chester

• Tip advised by Elite Horse Tips on Tipstrr

 

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