Racing tips: Chess Player still has more to give over 2m 4f as a Chaser

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Summer Night City was backed into favouritism but ran a stinker on hurdles debut. She never travelled and didn't jump the hurdles with great fluency. Jack Sprat was off the bridle down the back straight and after that he went out like a light.

Huntingdon 3:10 – Chess Player 9/4 (1pt)

The recent win of Chess Player could be worth nothing, but he was very impressive at Stratford on his first attempt at 2m 4f over fences as he won by 21L.

This horse has gone up 7lbs in the handicap as a result of that win, but he has only gone up 2lb when you factor in Beau Morgan claims 5lb and he wasn't riding him last time out, so if the form is worth something, which I think it might then he looks well-treated still. This horse does have plenty of pace about him, hence why he's managed to win two races over fences at 2m, but he seemed a little stuck off his handicap mark so I can see why connections decided to put him up to 2m 4f. He didn't run too badly in defeat over 2m though he was stuffed on his two runs between the two wins, but it doesn't tell the full story. The winners of the races were better than their marks at the time and the form has worked out nicely with winners coming out of both races. Ben Pauling has started off the jumps season in tremendous form, as has the jockey.

There should be a decent pace in this race with Line Of Descent being the most likely front-runner and he doesn't like to hang around. Friary Rock is an interesting runner with Brian Hughes making the trip to Huntingdon, but this horse's wins have come in Class 5 races and he hasn't shown the same level of form when upped to Class 4 like today's race. Tommy Cullen is the other interesting runner on chase debut as he has some decent PTP form but his hurdles form is hardly inspiring, I'd be keeping an eye out on he runs for future races.

Huntingdon 3:45 – Champagne Town 9/1 (0.5pt EW)

It's fair to say Champagne Town hasn't lit the world on fire since moving over to Kevin Frost's yard after he acquired him out of Gavin Cromwell's but I think you've got to say his form is better than most, if not all of the horses in this race.

Today's race is a very weak race and Champagne Town will have a task on his hands to win off a heavy weight, but if Kevin was going to find an opportunity for him to break his maiden tag, this is probably the race to do it in. I'm not sold on the form of any of the other horses in this race, they might have won a couple of races here and there, but they don't look well-treated off their current handicap marks and the form hasn't amounted to anything. I can see why the Twiston-Davies horse is fancied, but again, the form looks terrible.

In Ireland, this horse showed glimpses of ability, once over 2m and the other over 2m 5,  he was placed on both occasions, recording an RPR of 109 and 103. Since moving to Kevin's yard he has had a lot of breaks, he was in the midst of running a good race on stable debut until he became legless down the Doncaster straight. It was a tough novice race in hindsight, the winner was 114 rated and the runner-up has won twice since and is now rated 123. Arguably his best run for this yard came on his third run which was his second run after a break and he finished 2nd after being held up miles from off the pace and given very little chance. Better was expected last time out when backed into 9/4 after yet another break, and he was going strongly until he completely bombed out turning for home, so fitness came into play or something was amiss. Brian Hughes doesn't come to Huntingdon all too often but with no jumps racing happening in the northern part of England or Scotland, this makes up for his second ride of the day. He's one of the jockeys who won't travel unless he firmly believes he'll walk away with a win, and I think his win will come from this horse.

Brian will likely hold him up and try to settle him as he can be keen in his races, if he settles and gets a decent pace to aim at I think he is very dangerous to underestimate.

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