Chelmsford - 14:50
This is a conditions' stakes being run over seven furlongs, and there are some quality runners in the field.
Aljuljalah is the highest rated on a mark of 98, and she has put in some decent performances in good company, without getting her head in front since winning her first race in 2015. Atzeni again takes the ride on what is her first race here at Chelmsford. She ran very well in second place in a Listed Race at Lingfield on her only start on the all weather so far, therefore, I am hopeful that she will be equally as effective here.
The Sir Michael Stoute trained Flourishing is a lightly raced three-year-old who was a good winner of a handicap at Wolverhampton last time out. This is quite a step up in class but I think there is plenty more to come from this Exceed And Excel filly. Stoute has an extremely good record on the all weather courses with a strike rate of over 23%, and if he can bring further improvement out of her with Oisin Murphy riding again, I think she has a chance of being in the mix.
Raven's Lady has been running very well this year with a win a handicap and a conditions race at Newmarket, before finishing third behind the Frankel filly Queen Kindly last time out in a Listed race at Pontefract. Those races were all over six furlongs and she shapes as if the extra furlong will bring out further improvement and this nicely bred filly looks to have a touch of class about her. Ryan Moore is booked to ride her today (he has ridden her twice before with a win and a second place) and she looks to have an excellent chance of taking this.
Zest, trained by James Fanshawe, has been in better races than this but she has been outclassed in those. She steps down in trip to seven furlongs for the first time today which is an interesting move considering she is bred to stay further than a mile. She was third in a Listed race on the all weather at Kempton in April so there is definitely plenty of ability in her, I just wonder if she may get a little outpaced by some of her rivals over this distance.
Today's selection
Raven's Lady - 3 points @ 15/8