Midsummer Meeting

The Roodee was a hive of activity for the Midsummer Meeting at Chester, with the seven-race card featuring the Greenhous DAF Handicap (Class 2) at 4:05pm. Ground conditions remained Good throughout the afternoon, with 58 runners heading to post in total.

Race 1 – Senate Group Maiden Stakes (GBB/IRE Incentive Race) (Class 4, 2yo, 7f)

Leading from start to finish, Seagolazo (10/11F) proved to be an exceedingly tough nut to crack in the opener, toughing it out by 1 ½ lengths under Kevin Stott to score for local trainer Hugo Palmer. Pushed along out of the gates but quickly into stride, Seagolazo soon set the pace out in front in the first race of the afternoon, holding firm ahead of market rival Wiltshire Lad (15/8) through the early skirmishes. Still full of running and not willing to go down without a fight, Seagolazo stuck gamely to the rail when challenged by Wiltshire Lad around the home turn, the remainder unable to lay a glove on the leading pair. Battling on strongly when push came to shove, Seagolazo saw the trip out well in the final furlong, ridden out firmly to record his first racecourse success for winning owners Two Plus Three Two Plus Four, who also scored here recently with decent 2-year-old The Flying Seagull!

Race 2 – Hawarden Handicap (Class 5, 3yo+, 1m 4 ½f)

Successful over course and distance a fortnight earlier, Grey Fable (7/4F) repeated the feat stylishly in the second race of the day, delivered to perfection by Sean D Bowen to bring home first prize for Irish trainer Karl Thornton. Racing towards the back after a sluggish start, Grey Fable had a fair amount of ground to make up on the leader Ready To Shine (10/1) from an early stage, only beginning to make a move around the outside of the pack at the halfway stage. Gradually gaining ground with every stride, Grey Fable soon launched himself into a challenging position with a couple of furlongs to race, sweeping around the outside to steal a narrow lead on the turn into the straight. Now in the clear, Grey Fable responded instantly to Bowen’s urgings, staying on strongly in the final furlong to hold off Lincoln Rockstar (4/1) by 1 ½ lengths and provide Bowen with his fifth winner in just 14 days!

Race 3 – Printworks Handicap (Class 4, 3yo+, 7 ½f)

Thrusting home late and finally showing what he’s made of, Light Speed (17/2) ended a losing streak with a resounding success in the third race, staying on nicely to score for Joanna Mason and Gemma Tutty. Always towards the rear of mid-division, Light Speed sat behind course regular Evocative Spark (9/4F) for the most part, racing around 8 lengths off early leader Rainwater (18/1) through the opening half mile. Ridden along with around three furlongs to go, Light Speed soon looked to be struggling as Rainwater pressed home the advantage, leading the field by a couple of lengths around the home turn and travelling nicely. However, cutting through the chasing pack with some ease, Light Speed scorched home in the final furlong, hitting the front half a furlong out and staying on stoutly to hold off Rainwater by 1 ½ lengths, providing Joanna Mason with her 45^th winner of the season!

Race 4 – Greenhous DAF Handicap (Class 2, 3yo, 6f)

Despite finishing last of 17 on his latest run at York, Garfield Shadow (9/2) showed a real turnaround in form during the feature race, edging home by just a neck to score for Connor Murtagh and Richard Fahey. Quickly into stride moving across to the rail, Garfield Shadow set a strong pace through the opening couple of furlongs, stalked on his outer by Action Point (12/1) and Matters Most as the field reached the three-furlong marker. Still on the bridle as his rivals gradually began to feel the pressure, Garfield Shadow stepped it up a notch around the home turn, kicking on strongly with just over a furlong to go as Action Point and Matters Most battled on in behind. Despite late lunges from the chasing pack, Garfield Shadow had enough in the tank to see out the contest in the closing stages, holding on bravely for Connor Murtagh, who finished second aboard Rainwater the race before!

Race 5 – Edinburgh Gin Handicap (Class 5, 3yo+, 5f)

Notching an eighth victory on his 86^th start under rules, veteran sprinter Count D’Orsay (4/1) rolled back the years in the fifth race of the day, kicking on strongly in the final furlong to record a 1-length success for Sean Kirrane and Tim Easterby. Never too far away from the leaders, Count D’Orsay was encouraged along through the opening two furlongs of the race, moving in the slipstream of the smooth-travelling Ecclesiastical (7/2) as Secret Mistral (5/2F) led the field around the final turn. Latching onto the coattails of the leaders, Kirrane waited patiently aboard Count D’Orsay with a furlong and a half to go, travelling well enough as Ecclesiastical began to deliver a challenge. With racing room now presenting itself at the furlong marker, Count D’Orsay powered home down the centre of the track, edging past the front pair in the final 100 yards to claim a well-deserved victory, taking his overall career prize money earnings to over £200,000 – a grand servant to connections!

Race 6 – Sensee Operations Ltd T/A TCC Handicap (Class 4, 3yo+, 5f)

Recording his fourth victory on the Roodee in tidy style, Paws For Thought (8/1) had all the answers in the penultimate race of the afternoon, scooting home by 2 lengths to score comfortably for Charlie Maggs and Donald McCain. Breaking well from the inside stall, Paws For Thought travelled nicely along the rail through the first quarter of a mile, racing alongside Accrual (9/1) a couple of lengths behind course regular Dickieburd (15/8F). Ridden along two furlongs from home, Paws For Thought briefly looked in trouble around the final bend. However, finding a nice gap up the far rail as Dickieburd began to wilt, Paws For Thought rallied, running on strongly down the home straight to hold off Accrual by a couple of lengths. An owner more associated with the jumps, Carol Shaw also part-owns Chambard, a Cheltenham Festival winner in 2022 and a Becher Chase winner in 2023!

Race 7 – Servus Handicap (Class 3, 3yo+, 1m 2 ½f)

Providing a double on the day for Jason Hart and Hugo Palmer, Grey Cuban (7/4F) rewarded favourite backers in brilliant style in the final race, repeating his recent course success by scooting home to score by a widening 4 ½ lengths. Smartly away from Stall 1, Grey Cuban soon moved into a commanding lead through the opening circuit, racing a couple of lengths clear of market rival More Thunder (9/4) and moving along nicely at the head of affairs. Coming off the bridle passing the three-furlong marker, Grey Cuban soon looked to be a sitting duck out in front, with More Thunder now moving to his outer around the turn into the straight. However, unwilling to go down without a fight, Grey Cuban kicked on again a furlong from home, rapidly extending away in the closing stages to win in comfortable style, providing local trainer Hugo Palmer with his sixth Roodee victory of the year!

Race report by Adam Perkins